Mirror assembly with heater element

ABSTRACT

A mirror reflective element system has a front substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface having a transparent second surface electrically conductive coating disposed thereon, and a rear substrate that has a third surface and a fourth surface, the third surface having a third surface electrically conductive coating disposed thereon. An attaching surface of a heating element is attached at the fourth surface. The heating element has an electrically conductive heating element established thereat and includes first and second electrically conductive traces. The electrically conductive heating element and the first and second electrically conductive traces are electrically isolated from one another. The first electrically conductive trace provides, at least in part, an electrically conductive connection to the transparent second surface electrically conductive coating, and the second electrically conductive trace provides, at least in part, an electrically conductive connection to the third surface electrically conductive coating.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/334,139, filed Jan. 18, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,400,435, whichclaims benefit of U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/644,903,filed Jan. 19, 2005; and Ser. No. 60/667,049, filed Mar. 31, 2005, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to reflective element assembliesfor rearview mirrors of vehicles and, more particularly, to reflectiveelement assemblies having a heater pad disposed thereon, and a methodfor manufacturing such reflective element assemblies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to provide a heater pad at a rear surface of a reflectiveelement of an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle. Suchheater pads are typically adhered to the rear surface of the reflectiveelement, such as via double sided adhesive tape of the like. The heaterpad includes two conductive traces disposed thereon and often includeselectrical connectors or contacts protruding therefrom for electricalconnection of the conductive traces to a power source or wiring harnessof the mirror assembly. When the connectors are powered, the conductivetraces generate heat. Such heater pads are typically applied to the rearsurface of the reflective element that is unobstructed by other elementsat the rear surface, such that the heater pad may be adhered directly tothe rear glass surface of the glass reflective element.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a reflective element for an exteriorrearview mirror assembly of a vehicle that includes a heating element,such as a heater pad or the like, at the rear surface of the reflectiveelement. The reflective element comprises an electro-optic (such aselectrochromic) reflective element assembly and preferably includes afront substrate and a rear substrate with an electro-optic mediumestablished therebetween. The rear surface of the front substrate(commonly referred to as the second surface of the reflective element)preferably includes a transparent conductive coating thereon, while thefront surface of the rear substrate (commonly referred to as the thirdsurface of the reflective element) includes a metallic conductivecoating thereon. The heating element or heater pad is disposed at therear surface of the rear substrate (commonly referred to as the fourthsurface of the reflective element). The heating element or heater padincludes conductors or connectors or terminals that may electricallyconnect to the second and third surface conductive coatings so that theelectrical contacts of the reflective element may be made to the heaterpad terminals at the fourth surface of the reflective element. Thus, thepresent invention utilizes conductive traces and connectors on a heaterelement or pad as a means of powering the reflective element or cell,while the heater element or pad also includes other electricallyconductive elements or traces (which are electrically isolated from theother conductive elements or traces of the heater element or pad) andconnectors to power the heater pad and thus generate heat at the rear ofthe reflective element or cell.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a mirror reflectiveelement system for a variable reflectance vehicular mirror includes afront substrate and a rear substrate. The front substrate has a firstsurface and a second surface, with the second surface having atransparent second surface electrically conductive coating disposedthereon. The rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface,with the third surface having a third surface electrically conductivecoating disposed thereon. A fourth surface electrically conductiveelement is disposed at the fourth surface, and is in conductivecontinuity with one of the third surface electrically conductive coatingand the second surface electrically conductive coating. A heatingelement is attached to the fourth surface of the rear substrate. Theheating element comprises a heating element substrate having anattaching surface for attaching to the fourth surface and a rear surfaceopposite the attaching surface. The heating element substrate has afirst electrically conductive element established thereat. The firstconductive element generates heat to heat a portion of the heatingelement when powered. Typically, when the ignition and/or batteryvoltage of the vehicle is applied to the heating element/pad, electricalcurrent is conducted through the first conductive/conducting heaterelement or trace or path and heat is generated due to the powerdissipation caused by the ohmic resistance of the conductive element inaccordance with the well established formula that power (watts) is equalto the current (amps) multiplied by the square of the electricalresistance (ohms). The heating element includes a second electricallyconductive element established thereat. The second conductive element isat least partially established at the attaching surface. The first andsecond conductive elements are electrically isolated from one another.The second conductive element connects to the fourth surfaceelectrically conductive element at the fourth surface of the rearsubstrate such that conductive continuity is established between thesecond electrically conductive element and the fourth surfaceelectrically conductive element when the heating element is attached tothe fourth surface. The first and second conductive elements areaccessible at the rear surface of the heating element substrate.

The fourth surface conductive element may be in conductive continuitywith the third surface electrically conductive coating and anotherfourth surface conductive element may be in conductive continuity withthe second surface electrically conductive coating, in order to energizeor power the conductive coatings at both opposed substrate surfaces. Theheating element may include a third conductive element that connects tothe other fourth surface electrically conductive element at the fourthsurface of the rear substrate such that conductive continuity isestablished between the third electrically conductive element and theother fourth surface electrically conductive element when the heatingelement is attached to the fourth surface. The third conductive elementis electrically isolated from the first and second conductive elements.The heating element may also include another heating conductive elementdisposed over a portion of the heating element substrate and operable orenergizable to generate heat at the substrate.

Thus, the heating element substrate may include a pair of heatingelements or traces (such as the first conductive element and the heatingconductive element) for generating heat over a substantial area of theheating element or pad, and may include a pair of reflective elementpowering conductive elements (such as the second and third conductiveelements) for energizing or powering the respective conductive coatingat the respective one of the second and third surfaces of the reflectiveelement.

The heating element or heater pad may be constructed so as to be aresistive-type heating element or a positive temperaturecoefficient-type (PTC-type) heating element or automotive mirror heaterpad or the like, as are known in the automotive exterior mirror heatingarts, without affecting the scope of the present invention.

The conductive elements at the fourth surface of the rear substrate maycomprise electrically conductive coatings, such as chromium or the like.Preferably, the third surface conductive coating overlaps an edgeportion of the rear substrate, and the first conductive element overlapsthe edge portion to establish conductive continuity between the thirdsurface conductive coating and the conductive element at the fourthsurface. Conductive continuity may be established between the secondconductive element at the fourth surface and the second surfaceconductive coating via an ultrasonic solder or conductive epoxy or thelike.

The reflective element assembly may include a back plate that attachesto the rear surface of the heating element and/or the fourth surface ofthe rear substrate. The back plate may include openings therethroughthat correspond with the electrical connectors when the back plate isattached to the rear surface of the heating element and/or the fourthsurface of the rear substrate, such that the electrical connectors areaccessible at the back plate.

Therefore, the present invention provides a reflective element assemblythat includes a heating element or heater pad attached to a rear orfourth surface of the reflective element. The heating element isattached to the fourth surface in a manner that establishes conductivecontinuity between connectors or conductive elements at the rear surfaceof the heating element and the respective conductive coatings on thesecond and third surfaces of the reflective element when the heatingelement is attached to the rear or fourth surface of the reflectiveelement. The heating element thus includes conductive elements forgenerating heat and other conductive elements for powering or energizingrespective conductive coatings at the opposed surfaces of the front andrear substrates of the reflective element, with the conductive elementsor traces being electrically isolated and separate from one another atthe heating element substrate. The present invention thus providesenhanced assembly processes and robust electrical connections betweenthe connectors and the conductive coatings.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a reflective element assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the reflective element with the heater padremoved;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the reflective element of FIG. 2, with aheater pad being placed thereon;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a connector strip of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another connector strip of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a flexible heater pad of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a reflective element of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the reflective element of FIG. 7;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are perspective views of electrical connectors suitablefor use with the reflective element of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a reflective element assembly with aphoto sensor and a light concentrating device in accordance with thepresent invention; and

FIG. 11 is a side elevation of a light concentrating system inaccordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, a mirror reflective element or reflective element assembly orcell 10 for an interior or exterior rearview mirror assembly of avehicle includes a first or front substrate or glass element 12 and asecond or rear substrate or glass element 14 (FIGS. 1-3). The rearreflective element substrate 14 is spaced from front reflective elementsubstrate 12, with an electrolyte or monomer composition orelectro-optic (such as electrochromic) medium 16 sandwiched between thesubstrates and between and in contact with respective conductive orsemi-conductive layers 18, 20 on the opposed surfaces of the substrates.An epoxy seal material 22 or the like is applied between the substratesto define the cavity for the electro-optic medium and to adhere thesubstrates together. A heating element, such as a heater pad 24, isapplied to or adhered to or attached to a rear surface of the rearsubstrate and provides electrical connectors 26, 28 that are inelectrical or conductive connection with the conductive layers 18, 20,respectively, as discussed below.

The rearview mirror reflective element assembly of the present inventioncomprises an electro-optic or electrochromic reflective element assemblyor cell, such as an electrochromic mirror reflective element assemblywith coated substrates, such as by utilizing principles disclosed incommonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,140,455; 5,151,816;5,151,824; 6,178,034; 6,154,306; 5,567,360; 5,525,264; 5,808,777;5,610,756; 5,446,576; 5,406,414; 5,253,109; 5,076,673; 5,073,012;5,724,187; 5,668,663; 5,910,854; 5,142,407; and/or 4,712,879, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference, and/or as disclosed in thefollowing publications: N. R. Lynam, “Electrochromic AutomotiveDay/Night Mirrors”, SAE Technical Paper Series 870636 (1987); N. R.Lynam, “Smart Windows for Automobiles”, SAE Technical Paper Series900419 (1990); N. R. Lynam and A. Agrawal, “Automotive Applications ofChromogenic Materials”, Large Area Chromogenics: Materials and Devicesfor Transmittance Control, C. M. Lampert and C. G. Granquist, EDS.,Optical Engineering Press, Wash. (1990), which are hereby incorporatedby reference herein, and/or in PCT application No. PCT/US03/29776, filedSep. 19, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ELECTROCHROMIC MIRRORASSEMBLY and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC REFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002by Lynam et al. for VEHICULAR LIGHTING SYSTEM, now U.S. Pat. No.7,195,381; Ser. No. 10/528,269, filed Mar. 17, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,274,501; Ser. No. 10/533,762, filed May 4, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,184,190; Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 by Hutzel et al. forACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE; Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005by Karner et al.; Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,338,177; and/or Ser. No. 11/284,543, filed Nov. 22, 2005;Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 by Karner et al.; and/or Ser.No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTICMIRROR CELL, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US04/43500, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No.60/653,787, filed Feb. 17, 2005, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference.

The front reflective element substrate 12 of reflective element 10 has afront surface 12 a (the first surface of the electrochromic cell) and arear surface 12 b (the second surface of the electrochromic cell). Therear or second surface 12 b may include one or more transparentelectrically conductive layers 18 (such as an indium tin oxide (ITO)layer, or a doped indium tin oxide layer or any other transparentelectrically semi-conductive layer or coating or the like (such asindium cerium oxide (ICO), indium tungsten oxide (IWO), or indium oxide(IO) layers or the like or a zinc oxide layer or coating, or a zincoxide coating or the like doped with aluminum or other metallicmaterials, such as silver or gold or the like, or other oxides dopedwith a suitable metallic material or the like, or such as disclosed inPCT Application No. PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 19, 2003 by DonnellyCorp. et al. for ELECTROCHROMIC MIRROR ASSEMBLY and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/528,269, filed Mar. 17, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,274,501, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference) thereon.As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the second or rear surface 12 b of the frontsubstrate 12 may include a perimeter metallic coating or strip or layeror band 19 around the perimeter regions of the substrate to form a ringor frame around the perimeter of the substrate that is substantiallynon-transparent or opaque, such as described in PCT Application No.PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forELECTRO-OPTIC REFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/533,762, filed May 4, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,184,190; Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by McCabe et al. forELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/or Ser. No.11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 by Karner et al.; and/or PCT ApplicationNo. PCT/US04/43500, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser.No. 60/653,787, filed Feb. 17, 2005; Ser. No, 60/681,250, filed May 16,2005; Ser. No. 60/690,400, filed Jun. 14, 2005; Ser. No. 60/695,149,filed Jun. 29, 2005; and/or Ser. No. 60/717,093, filed Sep. 14, 2005 byLynam; Ser. No. 60/730,334, filed Oct. 26, 2005 by Baur for VEHICLEMIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH INDICIA AT REFLECTIVE ELEMENT; Ser. No. 60/750,199,filed Dec. 14, 2005; and/or Ser. No. 60/732,245, filed Nov. 1, 2005,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The rear reflective element substrate 14 includes a front surface 14 a(the third surface of the electrochromic reflective element or cell) anda rear surface 14 b (the fourth surface of the electrochromic reflectiveelement or cell). The front or third surface 14 a includes conductivecoatings or layers 20, such as one or more transparent semi-conductivelayers (such as an ITO layer or the like), and/or one or more metallicelectrically conductive layers (such as a layer of silver, aluminum,chromium or the like or an alloy thereof), and preferably a highlyreflective metallic layer or coating (such as, for example, chromium,chromium/rhodium, silver, aluminum, silver alloy, aluminum alloy,ITO/silver/ITO stack, ITO/aluminum/ITO stack (such as ITO-silver-ITOstacks and display on demand stacks or infrared transmitting stacks ofthe types disclosed in PCT application No. PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep.19, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for MIRROR REFLECTIVE ELEMENTASSEMBLY, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/528,269, filed Mar.17, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,274,501, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference) or layers or coatings of the types disclosed in PCTapplication No. PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. etal. for ELECTRO-OPTIC REFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY, now U.S. Pat. No.7,184,190; U.S. patent applications, Ser. No. 10/533,762, filed May 4,2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,184,190; and/or Ser. No. 11/021,065, filedDec. 23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US04/43500, filedDec. 23, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference, or the like) appliedto or deposited on and substantially over the front or third surface 14a of rear substrate 14. The reflective element assembly 10 thus maycomprise a third surface transflective element assembly or cell, wherebythe reflective layer or surface is disposed at the third surface of thecell or at the front surface of the rear reflective element substratefor viewing by a driver of the vehicle.

In the illustrated embodiment, the reflective element is suitable foruse in an exterior rearview mirror assembly, and desirably as aframeless or bezelless reflective element assembly, such as by utilizingprinciples described in PCT Application No. PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep.19, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ELECTROCHROMIC MIRROR ASSEMBLY;PCT application No. PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003 by Donnelly Corp.et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC REFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY; U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/528,269, filed Mar. 17, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,274,501; Ser. No. 10/533,762, filed May 4, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,184,190; and/or Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by McCabe etal. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451; PCTApplication No. PCT/US04/43500, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. etal. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL; and/or U.S. provisional applications,Ser. No. 60/531,838, filed Dec. 23, 2003; Ser. No. 60/553,842, filedMar. 17, 2004; Ser. No. 60/563,342, filed Apr. 19, 2004; Ser. No.60/629,926, filed Nov. 22, 2004; Ser. No. 60/490,111, filed Jul. 25,2003 by McCabe et al. for FLUSH ELECTROCHROMIC CELL; Ser. No.60/423,903, filed Nov. 5, 2002 by McCabe for ONE SIDED FLUSHELECTROCHROMIC CELL; Ser. No. 60/412,275, filed Sep. 20, 2002 by McCabefor ELECTROCHROMIC MIRROR ASSEMBLY; Ser. No. 60/424,116, filed Nov. 5,2002 by McCabe for ELECTROCHROMIC MIRROR ASSEMBLY; Ser. No. 60/489,816,filed Jul. 24, 2003 by McCabe for ELECTROCHROMIC MIRROR ASSEMBLY, and/orSer. No. 60/653,787, filed Feb. 17, 2005, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference. The reflective element is thussuitable for a heating element or heater pad 24 to be placed orpositioned at the rear surface 14 b of the rear substrate 14 for heatingthe reflective element to defog or defrost the reflective element incold weather conditions.

Although shown and described as a heater element or pad for a framelessreflective element, clearly the heater pad and reflective elementassembly of the present invention is suitable for use with non-framelesstype reflective elements, such reflective elements with flush orgenerally aligned substrates (such as described in PCT Application No.PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 19, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forELECTROCHROMIC MIRROR ASSEMBLY; PCT application No. PCT/US03/35381,filed Nov. 5, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC REFLECTIVEELEMENT ASSEMBLY; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/528,269, filedMar. 17, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,274,501; Ser. No. 10/533,762, filedMay 4, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,184,190; and/or Ser. No. 11/021,065,filed Dec. 23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US04/43500,filed Dec. 23, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRRORCELL, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference) or reflectiveelements with staggered or offset substrates or the like.

As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, at least a portion 20 a of the thirdsurface conductive coating 20 may continue from the third surface onto aportion 14 c of the perimeter edge (where the perimeter edge or edges oredge portions of the rear substrate are between the third surface andthe fourth surface of the rear substrate) so as to wrap around or coatan edge or edge portion 14 c of the substrate 14, such that one of theedges 14 c is coated by a portion 20 a of the metallic coating (such aschromium and/or rhodium or the like), in order to establish electricalcontinuity between the third surface conductive coating 20 and thewraparound coating 20 a on the edge portion 14 c. The other edges ofrear substrate 14 may not be coated by the conductive coating 20.

Although shown and described as being a wraparound portion along an edgeof the rear substrate and along an overhang region 13 a (discussedbelow) of the reflective element, it is envisioned that the wraparoundcoating portion may be along an edge of a staggered or offset substratethat is offset relative to the front substrate or a flush substrate thatis generally aligned with or flush with the front substrate. In suchoffset applications, the clips or bus-bars that are typically clipped tothe respective offset edge portions may be obviated.

The rear surface 14 b of the rear substrate 14 (the fourth surface ofthe assembled reflective element assembly) may also have a fourthsurface bus-bar or conductive coating 30 (such as chromium or the like)disposed over a portion of the rear surface, and a portion 30 a of thefourth surface conductive coating may continue from the fourth surfaceonto a portion of the perimeter edge so as to wrap around or coat theedge portion or edge region 14 c, in order to establish electricalcontinuity between the fourth surface and the edge portion. Optionally,the bus-bar portions 30, 30 a may be established via an ultrasonicsolder or conductive epoxy or the like, without affecting the scope ofthe present invention. The wraparound portion 30 a of the fourth surfaceconductive coating 30 may overlap or overcoat the wraparound coating 20a at an overlap region of the edge 14 c (the fourth surface conductivecoating may overlap the third surface conductive coating at the overlapregion or the third surface conductive coating may overlap the fourthsurface conductive coating or the coatings may otherwise overlap oneanother or at least partially coincide along at least a portion of theperimeter edge, without affecting the scope of the present invention),in order to establish electrical or conductive continuity between thefourth surface conductive coating on the fourth surface and the thirdsurface conductive coating on the third surface of the rear substrate.The rear substrate 14 thus provides a conductive wraparound thatprovides a conductive connection and electrical/conductive continuityfrom the rear or fourth surface 14 b of the substrate around the edgeportion 14 c and to the front or third surface 14 a. The coatings orcoating portions 30 a and 20 a of the overlap region may extendsubstantially (such as, for example, at least 5 mm or more or less)along the respective edge or edge region or portion of the substrate.

Likewise, another fourth surface coating or bus-bar 32 may be disposedon the fourth or rear surface 14 b and along another edge portion 14 d.As shown in FIG. 3, the bus-bar 32 may include a wraparound or overlapportion 32 b that wraps around and at least partially onto and along theedge portion 14 d of the rear substrate 14. The bus-bar 32 is disposedgenerally along an area or perimeter region of the third surface 14 athat has an isolation or non-conductive region 21 therealong. Theisolation region 21 may be formed by masking the perimeter region of thethird surface during the coating or deposition of the third surface ofthe rear substrate. The isolation region 21 may be partially covered bythe seal 22, and functions to electrically isolate the third surfaceconductive coatings 20 from a conductive epoxy or solder or the like 34that is applied along the edge portion 14 d and at the overhang region13 b to electrically connect or establish conductive continuity betweenthe fourth surface bus-bar 32 and the second surface conductive coating18 at the rear surface 12 b of the front substrate 12. The solder orconductive epoxy or the like may be disposed in the overhang region 13 bof the reflective element and overlaps the portion 32 b of the fourthsurface bus-bar 32 along the perimeter edge portion 14 d of the rearsubstrate (and may overlap the bus-bar 32 at the perimeter region of thefourth surface 14 b and generally along the edge portion 14 d). In theillustrated embodiment of FIG. 3, the conductive epoxy or solder isapplied along the edge portion 14 d and overhang region 13 b, and neednot extend over and onto the fourth surface of the rear substrate, sincethe conductive continuity is established between the fourth surfacebus-bar and the transparent conductive coating at the second surface 12b of the front substrate 12 via the contact between the epoxy or solder34 and the wraparound portion 32 b of bus-bar 32 and the conductiveperimeter band 19 at the second surface of the front substrate.Optionally, the solder or conductive epoxy 34 may be established overthe edge portion 14 d and over the perimeter region of the fourthsurface 14 b with or without an additional fourth surface bus-barcoating at the fourth surface of the rear substrate, without affectingthe scope of the present invention, such that the solder or conductiveepoxy provides or establishes the bus-bar coating at the fourth surface.

Although shown and described as being a third surface reflective elementassembly or cell, the reflective element may comprise a fourth surfacereflective element, with a transparent conductive coating or layer (suchas ITO or the like) disposed on the third surface of the reflectiveelement and a metallic reflecting layer or coating or reflector disposedon the fourth surface of the reflective element, without affecting thescope of the present invention. In such fourth surface reflectiveelement applications, the third surface coating and/or a fourth surfacebus-bar coating (or other coating or layer or solder or the like) may beapplied over the edge portion of the rear substrate to establishconductive continuity between the third surface transparent conductivecoating and the conductive bus-bar trace/coating or the like at thefourth surface of the reflective element.

Heating element or heater pad 24 comprises a flexible substrate 35, suchas a thin, flexible polymeric element, such as a few thousandths of aninch (mils) thick sheet (such as a thickness of one to fifty mils orgreater) of polyester or similar polymeric material, such as Mylar®,commercially available from DuPont, or the like, with a plurality ofheater conductive traces 36 disposed thereon. The conductive traces 36comprise a pair of electrically isolated traces for the heater functionof the heater pad and may comprise a silver frit or the like screenedonto a back surface of the flexible substrate 35, with each trace 36terminating at or connecting to a respective electrical connector or tabor terminal 38, 40 (such as via metallic pins or posts 36 a protrudingthrough the polymeric substrate 35 and between the respective traces andterminals). The conductive traces 36 (such as a silver frit or silvercontaining or metal containing or graphite containing conductivematerial, such as a conductive epoxy or paste or layer or ink or thelike) may be disposed on the attaching or first surface 35 a of thesubstrate (the surface that faces/attaches to the fourth surface of thereflective element). The heater pad 24 may be similar to known heaterpads, and may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,466,which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Heater pad 24 mayinclude an adhesive layer 35 c, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive(PSA), on its first surface 35 a for adhering the heater pad to the rearor fourth surface 14 b of the reflective element (typically, thepressure sensitive adhesive is covered by a peel away backing, wherebythe backing is peeled from the polymeric substrate to expose theadhesive and the heater pad is then laid on or pressed against the rearsurface of the reflective element to adhere thereto). The heater padsubstrate 35 may also include an adhesive layer (such as double sidedtape or a pressure sensitive adhesive or the like) on its second surface35 b, whereby a cover or film may be removed from the surface 35 b toexpose the adhesive/tape when attaching a back plate (not shown) to theheater pad and reflective element assembly. As best shown in FIG. 1, theconductive traces 36 may be disposed over substantially the entireheater pad substrate, except in the regions where the electricalconnectors 26, 28 are located. The conductive traces generate heat whena current is applied to them via the electrical connectors or tabs 38,40 (such as via electrical connection to a power source or wiringharness of the mirror assembly).

Although described as being a flexible polyester substrate, the heatingelement or heater pad of the present invention may comprise other typesof sheets or substrates, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention. For example, the conductive traces and connectors may beapplied to any flexible sheet or substrate or any rigid or substantiallyrigid sheet or substrate. The substrate may be supplied to a mirrorsub-assembler and as supplied includes the heater traces and heaterconnection means and the electro-optic/electrochromic connection means.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, electrical connector or terminal 26 islocated at the heater pad at a location that will overlap or otherwiseelectrically connect to at least a portion of the fourth surface bus-bar32, such as by overlapping a portion 32 a of the fourth surface bus-bar32 as can be seen in FIG. 1. Likewise, electrical connector 28 islocated at the heater pad at a location that will overlap or otherwiseelectrically connect to at least a portion of the fourth surface bus-bar30, such as by overlapping a portion 30 b of the fourth surface bus-bar30. Preferably, the electrical connectors 26, 28 may includeelectrical/conductive connection to the adhesive side or surface of theheater pad substrate 35 so that when the heater pad is applied to orpressed against or adhered to the fourth surface 14 b, conductivecontinuity will be established between the electrical connectors 26, 28and the fourth surface bus-bar portions 32 a, 30 b. For example, theheater pad substrate may include a conductive pad 42, 44 at therespective connector 26, 28 (and with conductive continuity establishedtherebetween, such as via metallic posts 27 or the like extendingthrough the heater pad substrate) for electrically contacting therespective bus-bar portions when the heater pad is applied to the fourthsurface of the reflective element. Although shown with the connectorsreflective element connectors 26, 28 being substantially similar to theheater element connectors 38, 40, clearly the connectors may compriseother types of connectors and may be different from one another. Forexample, the reflective element connectors 26, 28 may comprise sockettype connectors for receiving a male connector from the wiring harnessof the mirror assembly, or vice-versa, while the heater connectors 38,40 may comprise spade type connectors or the like. Optionally, thevarious pins/terminals required to be connected to operate the heaterelement and the electro-optic reflective element may be grouped into asingle unitary multi-pin socket (or plug) that is adapted and configuredto connect with a corresponding plug (or socket) that terminates a wireharness emanating from the vehicle and out to the reflective elementwhen the complete exterior mirror assembly is mounted on the vehicle (orlocally connecting to a bus mechatronic node or the like, such asdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,798,575; 6,472,773; 6,340,849; 6,163,083;6,093,976; 5,796,176; and/or 5,798,575, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference).

Optionally, and desirably, the fourth surface bus-bar portions 32 a, 30b may be sufficiently or appropriately thick conductive coatings orportions, and the heater pad 24 may be applied to the fourth surface 14b of the rear substrate 14 while the conductive coatings or conductiveepoxies of the bus-bar portions are still wet and unset and not cured.Thus, as the fourth surface bus-bar portions are dried/cured, thebus-bar portions function to enhance the connection/adherence of theheater pad to the fourth surface of the reflective element. Optionally,the connectors 26, 28 may be electrically connected to the respectivefourth surface bus-bars or bus-bar portions via a conductive epoxy orthe like (such as a solder or conductive epoxy or conductive polymericmaterial or a metallic strip or the like) applied over a portion of thefourth surface bus-bars and over the heater pad to the respectiveconnector, without affecting the scope of the present invention.

The reflective element and heater pad assembly may be constructed byadhering or applying the heating element substrate to the fourth surfaceof the reflective element. More particularly, the reflective element maybe placed in a fixture or the like, and the fourth surface traces orbus-bars or coatings may be applied to the appropriate locations at thefourth surface of the reflective element and preferably along theappropriate edge portions of the rear substrate of the reflectiveelement. The traces may be disposed to extend partially over the fourthsurface to the desired contact locations for contacting the conductivepads of the heater element when the heater element is applied to thefourth surface of the reflective element. The heater pad may then besupplied (with the heater element conductive traces and connectors andthe reflective element conductive traces and connectors appliedthereto), and the covering of the adhesive at the attaching surface ofthe heater pad substrate may be removed from the heater pad to exposethe adhesive at the attaching surface of the heater pad substrate. Whilethe conductive bus-bars/traces/coatings at the fourth surface of thereflective element are still wet or uncured or unset, the heater pad maybe moved into engagement with the fourth surface of the reflectiveelement, wherein the reflective element powering conductive pads ortraces at the attaching surface of the heater pad contact and establishconductive continuity to the uncured/unset bus-bars/coatings at thecontact locations at the fourth surface of the reflective element. Thecoatings may then set or cure (such as via air drying, UV curing or heatcuring or the like) to substantially seal and electrically connect theheater pad to the fourth surface of the reflective element. The heaterpad thus may be electrically connected to the bus-bars at the reflectiveelement without having to solder leads or connectors or the like, suchthat the process of making a solder connection is obviated.

The coating 20 at the third surface 14 a of the reflective element thusmay be energized or powered via powering the electrical connector 28 atthe heater pad at the rear surface 14 b of the reflective element 10.Likewise, the coating 18 at the second surface 12 b of the reflectiveelement may be energized or powered via powering the electricalconnector 26 at the heater pad 24 at the rear surface 14 b of thereflective element. The connectors or terminals 26, 28 may comprisesocket type connectors or spade type connectors or the like that allowfor a quick connection to the wiring harness or wires of the mirrorassembly. The heater trace connectors or terminals 38, 40 may besimilarly constructed, such that the four electrical connections for thereflective element and heater pad assembly may be made via four snaptype connections and/or plug-and-socket type connections directly at therear of the reflective element. The heater pad thus comprises fourisolated traces (such as silver frit traces or the like), with twotraces for the heating function, and two traces/pads for contacting thefourth surface bus-bars, and with each of the four traces having anelectrical connector/terminal for a snap type connection to therespective wire/connector of the mirror assembly.

Optionally, in order to establish the heater traces (and thus theheating capability) over substantially the entire substrate (includingthe areas around the bus-bar terminals 26, 28), it is envisioned thatthe heater pad may include the heater traces on the second surface (suchas the surface 35 b of heater pad substrate 35) of the heater padsubstrate. The heater traces thus may cover substantially the entiresubstrate area including the areas at which the reflective elementbus-bars and terminals are located, but may be substantially isolatedfrom the bus-bar regions by the polymeric substrate. Optionally, it isenvisioned that the heater pad substrate may include heater tracesestablished at both surfaces (the first and second surfaces) of theheater pad, in order to provide a double deck or stack of heatingelements to provide enhanced heating performance or capabilities to theheater pad.

Optionally, the heater pad may comprise a double layered polymericsubstrate with separate layers of heater traces and bus-bar traces. Forexample, a first polymeric pad or substrate may be printed with thesilver frit traces for the heating function, and a second polymeric pador substrate may be printed with the silver frit traces/pads for themirror reflective element electro-optic function. The silver frit tracesfor the heating function may be disposed/printed/established oversubstantially the entire surface of the polymeric pad, except a smallarea corresponding to each terminal for the bus-bar portions (where ametallic post or the like may extend through the polymeric pad forconnecting the respective terminal to the respective conductive traceestablished on the other polymeric pad). The polymeric pads may beattached together, such as via an adhesive (such as a pressure sensitiveadhesive or the like) so that the heater traces overlap the bus-barpads/traces, but are separated from and electrically isolated from thebus-bar pads/traces via the second polymeric pad/substrate.

Optionally, the heater pad may only include the heater conductive tracesand terminals, and the mirror conductive traces and terminals may beotherwise established via separate pads/substrates. For example, aflexible polymeric or polyester strip or pad or flex circuit withconductive traces established therealong (such as on a first surface ofthe strip or pad that opposes the fourth surface of the reflectiveelement) may be attached (such as via an adhesive, such as a pressuresensitive adhesive or the like) to the reflective element so that theconductive traces contact one of the conductive bus-bars along aperimeter region or edge of the reflective element to establishconductive continuity between the polymeric strips and traces and thebus-bar/coating/solder established on the reflective element. Likewise,a second flexible polymeric strip or pad or flex circuit with conductivetraces established therealong may be attached to the reflective elementso that the conductive traces contact and establish conductivecontinuity with the other conductive bus-bar along another perimeterregion or edge of the reflective element. For example, a flexible pad orstrip may include one or more conductive traces established from aconnector or terminal of the pad or strip to a contact region where thepad or strip interfaces with the conductive coating/epoxy/solder or thelike at the rear surface of the reflective element. The polymeric stripsor pads may each include a connector or terminal that is connected to orin conductive continuity with the respective traces of the strips, sothat electrical power may be provided to the bus-bars/coatings/soldersvia powering of the terminal of the respective strip or pad. Thepolymeric strips may be adhered to the rear surface of the rearsubstrate at the appropriate location and/or may extend over a portionof the heater pad substrate. The heater pad and the reflective elementconnectors/strips thus may be provided as separate elements, such thatthe reflective element connectors/strips may be added or applied only toelectro-optic reflective elements, while chrome or non-electro-opticreflective elements may only receive the heater pad substrate thereon.When the heater pad and reflective element connectors/strips are adheredor applied to the rear surface of the reflective element, the heater padand pair of strips thus may provide four electrical connectors at therear surface of the reflective element.

Optionally, the flex circuit or flexible conductive strip may beconnected to the wiring harness of the mirror assembly via a sonicwelding technique. The respective wires of the wire harness thus may beconnected to the flex circuit via direct contact to the conductivestrips or traces of the flex circuit. For example a small plasticconnector or housing may be welded around the connection point of theflex circuit and wiring harness to force the two contacts (the flexcircuit and wires) to come together and be joined together. Because themechanical contact of the wires and traces is sonically welded, theconnection provides a hermetic seal and thus, no additionalencapsulation may be needed at the welded connections.

Optionally, the contacts may be integrated into the back plate, suchthat the contacts in the back plate and the heater pad may snap togetheras the back plate is attached to the heater pad and/or reflectiveelement. The wire harness of the mirror assembly may then readily attachto the integrated connectors of the back plate, or the back plate may besupplied with the wire harness pre-attached to the back of the backplate.

Optionally, it is envisioned that the heater pad and back plate may beintegrated, such that heating elements or traces are disposed along aportion of a back plate, such as in the manner described above, with theopposite portion of the back plate having the ring or the like forconnecting the back plate and reflective element to the mirror actuatorof the exterior mirror. The back plate (with the conductive heatingelements or traces established thereon) may be applied to or adhered toor attached to the fourth surface of the reflective element, and withconductive portions or elements of the back plate contacting conductivebus-bar portions at the fourth surface of the reflective element whenthe back plate is applied to the fourth surface of the reflectiveelement. Optionally, the electro-optic reflective element manufacturermay include terminals or posts or tabs at the fourth surface of thereflective element (and extending from the fourth surface bus-barportions), wherein the back plate may attach to the fourth surface ofthe reflective element and to the posts extending therefrom, such as byadhering to the fourth surface and/or snapping or attaching to the postsor terminals or the like.

Optionally, the reflective element and heater pad assembly may includemetallic clips or bus-bars along the edge portions of the reflectiveelement to make electrical connection or conductive contact to theovercoated edge portions of the rear substrate. For example, and withreference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the reflective element may include ametallic connector strip or bus-bar 50 along the edge 14 c of the rearsubstrate 14 and a metallic connector strip or bus-bar 52 along the edge14 d of the rear substrate 14. Connector strip 50 includes a continuousstrip portion 50 a that extends along the edge 14 c and engages theovercoat or wraparound coating 20 a on edge 14 c, and a plurality oftabs 50 b that extend from continuous strip portion 50 a and that layover the rear surface 14 b of rear substrate 14 along edge portion 14 c.Likewise, connector strip 52 includes a continuous strip portion 52 athat extends along the edge 14 d, a plurality of tabs 52 b that extendfrom continuous strip portion 52 a and that lay over the rear surface 14b of rear substrate 14 along edge portion 14 d, and a plurality of tabs52 c that extend from continuous strip portion 52 a and that bend toextend along and engage the coating 19 and/or 18 at the second surface12 b of front substrate 12. The connector strips 50, 52 may be attachedto the reflective element, such as via a conductive epoxy or paste orthe like. Although the strip 50 is designed such that it will notcontact the conductive coatings 19, 18 at the front substrate, aninsulating material (not shown) may optionally be applied along theoverhang area 13 a and between the continuous strip portion 50 a and thecoatings 19, 18 at the second surface 12 b of front substrate 12 (suchas described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec.23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, now U.S. Pat.No. 7,255,451; and PCT Application No. PCT/US04/43500, filed Dec. 23,2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference), in order to electricallyisolate the connector strip 50 from the conductive coatings at the rearsurface of the front substrate. A non-conductive adhesive may also beapplied on the strips to keep the strips in intimate contact with therespective conductive coatings 20 a, 19 at the respective side orperimeter region of the reflective element. The connector tabs 50 b, 52b thus provide contact points or regions along the fourth surface of thereflective element and provide conductive continuity from the contactregions or pads to the respective conductive coating on the thirdsurface or second surface of the reflective element. The connectorstrips 50, 52 may be formed or stamped from a metallic strip or sheetand thus may be readily formed to the desired shape and size for theparticular application.

After the heater pad and connectors are established on the rear surfaceof the reflective element, a conformal coating may be applied to therear surface of the reflective element assembly. The conformal coat maybe sprayed, jetted, dispensed or brushed onto the reflective elementassembly. The conformal coat may comprise a clear coating or an opaquecoating, and may be cured via various curing means, such as heat,moisture or UV curing means or the like. The conformal coat protects thebus-bars and the contact points at the rear or back of the reflectiveelement assembly. Desirably, the conformal coating is sprayed or appliedto the reflective element assembly after the heater pad is attached oradhered to the rear surface of the rear glass substrate and while therear cover or film or liner is still on the rear adhesive surface of theheater pad. The cover may then be readily removed to expose the adhesivesurface of the heater pad (that is not fouled by the conformal coating)for attaching the backing plate to the heater pad.

A coating or sealant may be applied over the connectors or contacts ofthe heater pad, such as by potting or covering the bases of the contactsor encapsulating the contacts, such as with a silicone gel or the like.Optionally, for applications where an opaque or black coating is desiredto conceal the bus-bars and the like, the conformal coating may comprisean opaque or black coating, or the conformal coating may comprise aclear coating, and a black coating or paint may be applied over theconformal coating to conceal the bus-bars, contact points and the like.It is desirable to keep the black or opaque coating or paint away fromthe perimeter edges of the substrates (particularly for pencil seamededges where the dark or black layer may be viewable), so it may bedesirable to apply a grey coating or layer first, and then a black ordark layer or coating or paint over the first layer or coating. Thepaint may be applied over the protective coating and/or over the edgesof the glass substrates.

After the heater pad (and any other conductive trace or strip or pad) isattached or adhered to the fourth surface of the reflective element, andcoated with a protective/conformal coating and cured, a back plate (notshown) may be applied to the fourth surface and/or to the heater pad,such as by adhesive or double sided tape or the like. For example, theconformal coating may be sprayed after the heater pad is attached oradhered to the rear mirror substrate surface, and the protective coveror film at the rear of the heater pad may then be removed to expose anadhesive at the back of the heater pad, whereby the back plate may thenbe engaged with and adhered to the back of the heater pad via theexposed adhesive. The electrical connectors 26, 28, 38, 40 of the heaterpad may protrude through corresponding holes or apertures in the backplate, so that the electrical connections may readily be made to theconnectors after the back plate is attached. The openings in the backplate for the contacts may form cavities with walls around the contacts,such that the cavities may be filled with a silicone gel or the like.

Because there are no wires or leads associated with the reflectiveelement and heater pad assembly, no routing of bus-bar wires or the likethrough the back plate is necessary, since only the connectors protrudefrom the rear of the reflective element and heater pad assembly.Optionally, and because there is no routing of wires or leads throughthe back plate, the positioning and attachment of the back plate to therear surface of the reflective element may be performed automatically,such as by a robot or the like, where the back plate may be positioned(with the clips/terminals at the heater pad generally aligned with theopenings in the back plate) and moved against the rear surface of thereflective element in a generally linear manner. The reflective elementand heater pad assembly of the present invention thus provides forenhanced assembly processing of the reflective element and mirrorassembly. Also, the heater pad includes the extra functionality ofproviding a snap connection to the terminals for powering theelectro-optic reflective element.

Therefore, the present invention provides a heater pad that may bereadily applied to or adhered to the rear surface of the reflectiveelement, whereby the application of the heater pad also functions toestablish the electrical connections to the bus-bar coatings/solder atthe rear surface of the reflective element, without having to solderclips or leads onto the bus-bar coatings/solder. In order to install theheater pad and make the electrical/conductive connections between theheater pad and the reflective element, the backing cover on the adhesiveside of the heater pad may be removed and the heater pad (with thepressure sensitive adhesive and conductive pads exposed) may be movedinto engagement with the fourth or rear surface of the reflectiveelement and with the bus-bars/coatings on the rear surface (andoptionally before the bus-bars/coatings at the fourth surface have setor cured. The heater pad thus may be readily attached to the reflectiveelement, with the conductive pads engaged/contacting the fourth surfacebus-bars/coatings to establish conductive continuity between theconductive pads (and associated connectors) of the heater pad and thefourth surface bus-bars/coatings at the fourth surface of the reflectiveelement. After the heater pad is adhered/attached to the rear surface ofthe reflective element, the conductive epoxy is cured, such as via aircuring, UV curing or heat curing or the like. The conductive epoxy maybe selected such that the curing process or temperature is compatiblewith the heater pad substrate and the pressure sensitive adhesive of theheater pad. For example, the heater pad substrate and adhesive shouldwithstand the epoxy curing temperature or a lower temperature curingepoxy should be selected. After the epoxy is cured, the reflectiveelement and heater pad assembly may be provided or supplied to a mirrorassembly, and the electrical connections to the four terminals of theheater pad (or pads/strips) may be readily made via snapping or clippingthe leads/wires from the mirror assembly to the respective terminals onthe heater pad.

Optionally, the heater pad may comprise a common heater pad for both anelectro-optic reflective element and a chrome (or non-electro-optic)reflective element for a particular vehicle or vehicle line. Typically,most vehicles that offer an electro-optic reflective element option alsooffer a low level or base chrome (or non-electro-optic) reflectiveelement (and typically offer only a chrome reflective element for thepassenger side exterior mirror). For each type of reflective element, aheater pad may be provided at the rear surface of the reflective elementfor automatically or selectively defogging or defrosting the reflectiveelement. Optionally, the heater pad of the present invention may bepurchased or ordered or supplied for both types of reflective elements,in order to reduce part numbers at the plant and thus enhance theassembly processes, while achieving economies of scale by ordering alarger volume of a single heater pad component/assembly. This could notbe readily accomplished with conventional heater pads and back plates,because a distinct back plate is typically required for the particularreflective element applications or shapes. Because the back plate forthe reflective element and heater pad assembly of the present inventiondoes not have to be shaped like the particular reflective element shapeand need only include openings or apertures for receiving the terminalsof the heater pad therethrough (since various routing or retainingelements for routing/retaining the wires or leads from the reflectiveelement are obviated by the present invention), the back plate may be acommon back plate for either type of reflective element. Likewise, theheater pad may be a common heater pad for either type of reflectiveelement. Although there would be two additional terminals that are notused for the chrome reflective element applications, the small cost ofthe extra terminals would not be significant as compared to the savingsachieved in ordering and installing a single heater pad on both types ofreflective elements.

Thus, a mirror assembler or reflective element assembler may order acommon heater pad and back plate, which achieves enhanced supply chainefficiency and a reduction in part numbers in the assembly/manufacturingfacility, and may apply the common heater pads and back plates to bothtypes of reflective elements. The present invention thus provides theoption of commonality of heater pads and back plates for electro-opticreflective elements and chrome (or non-electro-optic) reflectiveelements. The heater trace terminals (which may be separate connectorsas shown and described above or may be a single or unitary connector(such as a multi-pin plug or socket or the like) that has separateterminals for powering the separate heater traces) may be readilyconnected to the appropriate connectors or leads of the minor wiring foreither application. For electro-optic mirrors, the reflective elementterminals (which may be separate connectors as shown and described aboveor may be a single connector that has separate terminals for poweringthe coatings of the cell) may also be readily connected to theappropriate connectors or leads of the mirror wiring to electricallypower the electro-optic reflective element or cell. The wiring harnessof the mirror assembly may be connected to the appropriate power sourceor control (and may be hard-wired and/or may be incorporated into a businterface or system, such as the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,798,575; 6,472,773; 6,340,849; 6,163,083; 6,093,976; 5,796,176; and/or5,798,575, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference) forcontrolling the heater pad and/or reflective element.

The heater pad (with conductive traces screened thereon), such as acommon heater pad, may be laid onto the rear surface of the reflectiveelement, and may be laid onto the rear surface of the reflective elementwhile the fourth surface bus-bar portions/coatings are still wet and notyet cured. After the heater pad is applied to the rear surface of thereflective element, the assembly may be overlaid or overcoated with aconformal coating to protect and seal the heater pad connections at thereflective element. The coating or coatings may then be cured (such asvia heat or UV curing processes) to complete the reflective element andheater pad assembly. Because the electrical connections between theheater pad and the bus-bars/coatings at the rear of the reflectiveelement are substantially covered by the heater pad substrate and arefurther sealed/covered by the conformal coating, the connections arewell protected against damage during shipping and from environmentaleffects.

By utilizing concepts of the present invention, the use of a bezel tosurround the edge of the reflective element assembly may be obviated, sothat a viewer looking at the mirror reflective element sees and enjoysthe utility of the entire coated surface area. Thus, it is desirable toprovide an opaque or dark coating or paint at the visible edge of thereflective element assembly. Optionally, the cut edge of the frontsubstrate (that may be pencil edged or seamed or otherwise finished orseamed) may be coated or covered by a light absorbing material so thatthe viewability or discernibility of any imperfections in the cut edgeis reduced or substantially precluded or eliminated, such as describedin U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004 byMcCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, now U.S. Pat. No.7,255,451; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US04/43500, filed Dec. 23,2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the front substrate 12 of reflective elementassembly 10 has a height dimension that is greater than a correspondingheight dimension of the rear substrate 14, such that the upper perimeterregion or edge portion 12 c and lower perimeter region or edge portion12 d of front substrate 12 extend beyond the corresponding perimeterregions or edge portions 14 c, 14 d of rear substrate 14 and defineupper and lower overhang regions 13 a, 13 b (such as described in PCTapplication No. PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. etal. for ELECTRO-OPTIC REFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY, U.S. patentapplications, Ser. No, 10/528,269, filed Mar. 17, 2005, now U.S. Pat.No. 7,274,501; Ser. No. 10/533,762, filed May 4, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,184,190; Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005; and/or Ser. No.11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTICMIRROR CELL, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US04/43500, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No.60/653,787, filed Feb. 17, 2005, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference). By having the front substrate taller than the rearsubstrate and defining overhang regions at both the upper and lowerregions of the reflective element assembly, the reflective elementassembly may be placed or disposed at or in the bezel or casing (or thebezel or casing may be molded directly around the reflective elementassembly) without exposing the seal between the substrates to shearstresses, such as may otherwise occur at the seal when the substratesare offset in either direction. Also, the overhang regions (defined bythe under-sized rear substrate relative to the front substrate) of thereflective element assembly of the present invention provide essentiallya circumferential ledge or edge (such as a ledge extending approximately0.5 mm beyond the edge of the rear substrate) for a soldering device tofollow around the reflective element assembly to provide enhancedsoldering of the raceway around the conductive coatings. The solderingdevice may be moved along (such as by a computer numerical control (CNC)or the like) and substantially around the cell at the overhang regions(such as by following the edge of the rear substrate) and may apply thesolder thereto, in order to apply solder lines along the respectiveperimeter edges of the reflective element assembly. One bead of solderthus contacts the conductive ITO layer (or the like) on the frontsubstrate but does not come into electrical contact with the conductivecoating or layer on the rear substrate, while another bead of solder maycontact the wraparound coatings 20 a, 30 a to electrically connect tothe third surface coatings or layers, but without electricallycontacting the second surface coatings or layers.

Optionally, an encapsulant may be provided at the overhang regions toseal and protect the solder and coatings of the reflective elementassembly. For example, the encapsulant or potting material (such as, forexample, a silicone or urethane elastomer, preferably a conductive atleast partially or semi-elastomeric material or the like) may be appliedor positioned over the rear surface (and may be applied partially orentirely around the outer perimeter edge of the substrate) toenvironmentally protect, such as by sealing, the connection of theconnector terminals and the conductive layers, such as described in PCTapplication No. PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. etal. for ELECTRO-OPTIC REFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY; and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/533,762, filed May 4, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,184,190, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

The reflective element assembly of the present invention thus providesan enhanced assembly that may be readily manufactured and assembled. Theoverhang regions of the present invention provide for enhancedmanufacturing and assembly processes and provide benefits of simplicityin the reflective element design and assembly over prior knownapproaches, such as the mirror assemblies of the type described in U.S.pat. pub. No. US2004/0032638, published Feb. 19, 2004 by Tonar et al.for ELECTROCHROMIC DEVICES WITH THIN BEZEL-COVERED EDGE, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference.

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 6, a flexible heater pad or sheet24′ may include a plurality of heater conductive traces 36′ and a pairof conductive traces 42′, 44′ are provided on a thin sheet or ribbon35′. The heater traces 36′ are in electrical or conductive connectionwith a corresponding conductive strip or trace 38′, 40′ for connectingto a connector or wire or harness of the mirror assembly. Likewise, theconductive traces 42′, 44′ are in electrical or conductive connectionwith a corresponding conductive strip or trace 26′, 28′ for connectingto a connector or wire or harness of the mirror assembly. The heater pador sheet thus may be applied (such as via an adhesive or double sidedtape or the like) to the rear of the reflective element, whereby theelectrical connections between the conductive traces 42′, 44′ are madeto the bus-bars or coatings or the like of the reflective element, andthe traces 38′, 40′, 26′, 28′ may be connected to one or more connectorsor leads at the mirror assembly when the reflective element is mountedthereat.

As shown in FIG. 6, the conductive traces 42′, 44′ may terminate in arespective flexible flap or tab 43′, 45′, which may overlay a respectivebus-bar coating or portion at the rear surface of the reflective elementor which may fold or bend at least partially around the respective edgeportion of the rear substrate to contact an edge coating or solder atthe respective edge portion. A conductive epoxy may be applied to theconnection area to ensure a good electrical connection between thetraces 42′, 44′ and the respective conductive coatings/solders/layers atthe reflective element.

Optionally, the connecting strip 35 a′ for electrically connecting orestablishing conductive continuity between the heater pad or sheet andthe wiring harness or circuitry of the mirror assembly may comprise asingle strip with four conductive traces 38′, 40′, 26′, 28′ thereon,such that a single connection may be made to the mirror assembly. Thestrip 35 a′ is a flexible ribbon or strip that may be readily flexed orbent to connect to a connector at the mirror assembly or at the end of awiring harness or ribbon of the mirror assembly. Optionally, the heaterpad or sheet 24′ may include two or more connector strips (as also shownat 35 a″), where one strip may include the conductive traces for theheater traces, while the other strip may include the conductive tracesfor the reflective element traces. The strips may then be flexed or bentto connect to the corresponding connectors at the mirror assembly.

The heater pad or sheet of the present invention thus provides aflexible heater pad with the conductive traces and connectors integrallyformed thereon, whereby attachment and electrical connection of theheater pad or sheet to the reflective element is made via adhering theheater pad or sheet to the rear surface of the reflective element. Theheating elements or traces and the cell powering elements or traces areprovided on the heater pad or substrate and are separate from andisolated from and not contiguous with one another. Each of the tracesterminates at an electrical connector or terminal or pin at the rearsurface of the heater pad for connecting to respective connectors orterminals of a wiring harness or the like at the mirror assembly. Theelectrical connection of the heater pad and reflective element assemblymay thus be made to a wiring harness or electrical connector orconnectors at the mirror assembly via one or more electricalconnections.

Although shown and described as a heater pad attached to the fourthsurface of a reflective element, aspects of the present invention may besuitable for attaching other elements or devices to other surfaces. Forexample, a printed circuit board substrate (such as a substantiallyrigid or flexible substrate upon which circuitry or traces may bedisposed) may be attached to a fourth surface of a rear substrate of aninterior rearview mirror assembly, so as to provide electrical contactbetween circuitry or accessories on the circuit board substrate andcircuitry or elements or traces at the fourth surface of the interiormirror reflective element, Aspects and principles described herein mayalso or otherwise be suitable for other applications, without affectingthe scope of the present invention.

Optionally, the reflective element, either with or without a heater pador the like, may have fourth surface bus-bars or pads or elements orcoatings or layers or the like for electrically connecting to the secondand third surface conductive coatings or layers, and the clips orconnectors for the reflective element may connect to the fourth surfacebus-bars. The fourth surface bus-bars may provide electrical conductiveconnectivity to the second and third surface conductive coatings.

For example, and with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the electro-optic orelectrochromic reflective element assembly 10′ includes a frontsubstrate 12 and a rear substrate 14 and an electro-optic medium 16disposed therebetween and substantially encompassed by a perimeter seal22 around the electro-optic medium and between the substrates 12, 14.The reflective element assembly 10′ may be substantially similar to thereflective element assembly 10 discussed above, such that a detaileddiscussion of the reflective element assemblies will not be repeatedherein. The components of reflective element assembly 10′ are thus shownin FIGS. 7 and 8 with similar reference numbers as used in FIGS. 2 and 3for reflective element assembly 10, discussed above.

The electro-optic reflective element 10′ includes a transparentconductive coating or layer 18 substantially over the rear surface 12 bof front substrate 12 and a metallic reflective conductive coating orlayer (or coatings or layers) 20 substantially over the front surface 14a of the rear substrate 14. The coatings may comprise any suitableconductive and reflective/transparent coatings or layers, such as thetypes described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,668,663 and/or 5,724,187,and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22,2002 by Lynam et al. for VEHICULAR LIGHTING SYSTEM, now U.S. Pat. No.7,195,381; Ser. No. 10/528,269, filed Mar. 17, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,274,501; Ser. No. 10/533,762, filed May 4, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,184,190; Ser. No. 11/284,543, filed Nov. 22, 2005; Ser. No.11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005; and/or Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec.23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, now U.S. Pat.No. 7,255,451; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 9,2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for MIRROR REFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY;and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003 byDonnelly Corp. et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC REFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY;and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov.22, 2004 by Lynam et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH VIDEO DISPLAY; Ser.No. 60/629,926, filed Nov. 22, 2004 by McCabe et al. for METHOD OFMANUFACTURING ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL; Ser. No. 60/531,838, filed Dec.23, 2003; Ser. No. 60/553,842, filed Mar. 17, 2004; Ser. No. 60/563,342,filed Apr. 19, 2004, and/or Ser. No. 60/653,787, filed Feb. 17, 2005,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003 byDonnelly Corp. et al. for ACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the rear substrate 14 may have a smallerwidth or height or length dimension so that the reflective element hasoverhang regions 13 a, 13 b along respective edge portions of thereflective element, such as described in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005; and/or Ser. No. 11/021,065, filedDec. 23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,255,451, and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No.60/653,787, filed Feb. 17, 2005, which are hereby incorporated here inby reference. Although shown and described as an electrochromicreflective element, the reflective element may comprise any other typeof electro-optic mirror reflective element or the like, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention. Reflective element 10′includes fourth surface electrically conductive bus-bars or elements orelectrical connection sites 30, 32 (such as metal thin film coatings) atthe rear surface 14 b of rear substrate 14 of reflective element 10. Thefourth surface electrically conductive bus-bars 30, 32 may includewrap-around conductive portions 30 a, 32 b to electrically conductivelyconnect the fourth surface conductive bus-bars 30, 32 to the thirdsurface conductive coatings or layers 20 or second surface transparentconductive coating or layer 18, respectively, such as by utilizingprinciples described above and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005; and/or Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec.23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, now U.S. Pat.No. 7,255,451; and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/653,787,filed Feb. 17, 2005 by Karner et al. for MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR MIRRORAND METHOD OF MAKING SAME, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference. As shown in FIG. 8, the wrap-around portion 32 b may extendalong the edge of the rear substrate and along the seal to contact thesecond surface conductive coating 18 and/or the perimeter band orperimetal border coating 19 (and may comprise or may be covered orencompassed by a conductive epoxy or solder (such as metal solder or thelike) material or the like disposed at the overhang region 13 a of thereflective element 10). As can be seen in FIG. 8, the wrap-around orovercoated portions 32 b, 30 a of the bus-bars may substantially coverthe respective edge regions of the rear substrate.

The electrical contacts or connectors of the mirror circuitry mayelectrically/conductively contact or connect to connectors 26′, 28′ atthe respective fourth surface bus-bars 30, 32 to establish electricalconnection to the reflective element. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a beadof conductive epoxy 33 may be disposed along a perimeter region of therear substrate surface and may be dispensed to form an attachment pad 33a or the like at the rear surface. Another bead of conductive epoxy 37may be disposed along a perimeter region of the rear surface of thefront substrate and around the perimeter edge of the rear substrate andonto the rear substrate surface to form an attachment pad 37 a or thelike at the rear surface of the rear substrate. Electrical connectionbetween the circuitry contacts and the fourth surface bus-bars 30, 32may be established and maintained via the conductive epoxy beads 33, 37or solder or the like, or via mechanical connection of the circuitrycontacts to the bus-bars or biasing of the circuitry contacts to thebus-bars or the like, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention.

Although described herein as conductive epoxy beads and pads, the term“conductive epoxy” is used as an illustrative material, and is notintended to be limited only to a conductive epoxy. Other conductivematerials that may be dispensed or applied, typically in a fluid state,and then, when applied, may be cured or set to a substantially hardenedor firm state, may be utilized at the reflective element in the mannerdescribed herein, without affecting the scope of the present invention.The conductive material thus may form a substantially fluid bead or pador the like on which the metallic clip or connector may be placed, andthen the conductive material may be cured to substantially and at leasttemporarily hold the connector in place so that the electricalconnections to the circuitry wiring leads may be made at the reflectiveelement, such as by soldering or mechanical connection/attachment. Theconductive material may be cured via any curing means, such as selfactivation by chemical reaction and/or UV exposure and/or thermalexposure and/or inductive heating and/or the like, to form a setmaterial or substantially hardened or substantially non-fluid or firmmaterial that may substantially hold the clips in place at the rearsubstrate surface of the reflective element.

As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, metallic connectors or clips 26′, 28′ maybe attached to the rear surface of the rear substrate, such as at theattachment pads 33 a, 37 a. The connectors or clips may comprise ametallic material, such as copper, copper alloy, tin plated copperalloy, nickel, silver or the like, and may comprise stainless steel(such as if the circuitry leads are mechanically attached to the clipsand not soldered to the clips), without affecting the scope of thepresent invention. Desirably, the clips 26′, 28′ may be placed on theattachment pads 33 a, 37 a while the epoxy is wet and before it iscured. In the illustrated embodiments, the clips 26′, 28′ have openingstherethrough for the wet epoxy to flow through and around portions ofthe clips to enhance the securement of the clips to the rear substratesurface when the epoxy is cured. Optionally, the clips (such as shown atclip 26′ in FIG. 9A) may include an extension or tab 26 a′ formechanically connecting to a lead connector. As discussed below, theextensions may be bent or formed generally along the substrate surfaceto facilitate connection thereto and to facilitate encompassing theclips with a glob encapsulant after the electrical connection is made.Optionally, the clips (such as shown at clip 28′ in FIG. 9B) may providea generally flat pad 28 a′ for an electrical lead to be soldered to whenmaking the electrical connections.

As can be seen with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9A, the clip 26′ mayinclude legs 26 b′ that extend along the wraparound portion on the edgeof the rear substrate to extend over the edge of the rear substrate toassist in positioning the clip at the appropriate location at or near tothe edge of the rear substrate. The legs extend partially along the edgeand over the wraparound coating and thus may also enhance the electricalconnection to the wraparound coating and thus to the third surfacecoating 20. The length of the legs 26 b′ is selected so that the legs donot extend past the front surface of the substrate, in order to limit orsubstantially preclude shorting of the cell. For example, the legs maybe approximately 1.2 mm long, while the thickness of the rear substratemay be 1.6 mm. Optionally, and as can be seen with reference to FIGS. 8and 9B, the clip 28′ may include longer legs 28 b′ that may extendacross the edge of the rear substrate and may span the seal thickness tocontact the epoxy bead and/or perimeter band coating at the rear surfaceof the front substrate. In such an application, the epoxy pad 37 a maynot be needed to provide sufficient conductive continuity between themetallic connector and the second surface conductive coating orcoatings. Although the clip 28′ is shown in FIG. 9B with a flatattachment pad 28 a′, the clip may otherwise have an attachmentextension similar to that shown in FIG. 9A, and/or the clip 26′ mayinclude a substantially flat attachment pad similar to that shown inFIG. 9B, or the clips may provide other attachment means at the rearsurface of the rear substrate, without affecting the scope of thepresent invention.

Optionally, the reflective element may be placed in a jig or fixture anda conductive epoxy (or other suitable material) may be disposed at andover the fourth surface bus-bars. Before the conductive epoxy sets orcures, metallic clips or bus-bars or elements or connectors 26′, 28′ maybe placed into the conductive epoxy so that the clips are set into andsubstantially enveloped by the wet conductive epoxy. The reflectiveelement and conductive epoxy may then be cured so that the conductiveepoxy sets or cures around the clips to substantially secure the clipsto the fourth surface of the reflective element. The clips thus makesubstantial electrical contact with the respective fourth surfacebus-bar or coating, which establishes conductive continuity with therespective second or third surface coatings via the wraparound portionsor layers or coatings. The leads of the circuitry may then be connectedto the clips or connectors, such as via solder or mechanical attachment,and a UV curable acrylic (or other suitable sealant) may be applied tothe electrical connection and cured to provide a substantially strong orrobust electrical connection to the reflective element. A conformalcoating (such as a UV curable conformal coating or the like) may beapplied over the fourth surface of the reflective element tosubstantially seal and protect the reflective element.

Optionally, the clips or connectors at the fourth surface bus-bars maycomprise spade connectors or clip connectors or crimp connectors (wherethe lead or wire may be inserted into a receiving portion of theconnector and the receiving portion may be crimped to substantiallysecure the wire therein) or the like. Optionally, a spade connector maybe formed or bent (as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9A) so as to extend generallyalong the fourth surface of the reflective element (the rear surface ofthe rear substrate) when the connector is attached to the fourth surfaceof the reflective element. This may be desirable because when theconnector protrudes outwardly and away from the fourth surface (such astypically about 6 mm out from the surface of the reflective element),the connector may contact or interfere with other components of themirror assembly during assembly of the mirror assembly. Also, if theconnectors are bent or formed to be generally along the rear surface ofthe reflective element, the connectors may be readily covered orenveloped by an encapsulant, such as a UV curable acrylic or the like.The encapsulant or UV curable acrylic may substantially encompass andencapsulate the connectors or clips and preferably may contact the glasssurface around the clips to enhance the adhesion or bonding of theencapsulant and clips to the rear substrate. Optionally, the attachmentand dispensing and curing processes may be performed with a singlemachine or fixture, and the encapsulant and conformal coating may becured via the same curing process. Optionally, the encapsulant maycomprise other types of materials or compositions, such as another UVcurable material, such as a urethane or a silicone material or anacrylate material, a chemically curable material, such as an epoxy, aself curable material, a thermally curable material, an inductivelycurable material and/or the like, without affecting the scope of thepresent invention.

When the conductive epoxy is applied over the fourth surface bus-barsand/or the rear or fourth surface of the reflective element, it isdesirable that the epoxy (and the clips or connectors attached theretoor set therein) make intimate electrical contact to the fourth surfacebus-bars. If the fourth surface bus-bars oxidize after they aredeposited on the rear substrate surface and before the connector andepoxy are applied thereto, the oxidation may impede or interrupt theconductive contact at the fourth surface bus-bars. In order to reducethe oxidation effect at the fourth surface bus-bars, the material of thefourth surface bus-bars may be selected to provide reduced oxidationproperties. For example, the fourth surface bus-bars may comprise ametal with a low Gibbs energy of oxide formation, such as, for example,gold or gold alloy or chrome alloy or the like (and may be alloyed toretard or reduce oxidation), so that reduced oxidation may occur at thefourth surface bus-bars.

Optionally, the fourth surface bus-bars may be cleaned or processed toreduce or remove oxidation that may have occurred at the bus-bars. Sucha layer or oxidation, if it occurs, may reduce the conductive continuitybetween the clips and the coating at the substrate surface. Optionally,the fourth surface bus-bars may be wiped or processed with a chemical(such as chromium etchant type TFD, such as commercially available fromTransene Corp. of Mass., or other suitable acidic and/or basic chemicalor material etchant or the like) to remove or reduce oxidation beforethe electrical connection to the fourth surface bus-bars is made.Optionally, the fourth surface bus-bars may be mechanically cleaned,such as via an abrasive medium or the like, to mechanically remove orreduce oxidation at the fourth surface bus-bars before the electricalconnection to the fourth surface bus-bars is made. Optionally, thefourth surface bus-bars may be cleaned or processed via a laser or ionbeam or the like to remove or ablate or reduce oxidation at the fourthsurface bus-bars before the electrical connection to the fourth surfacebus-bars is made. Optionally, a thin layer of a substantiallynon-oxidizing material (such as metals with a low Gibbs energy of oxideformation, such as gold, silver, rhodium, platinum, palladium or thelike, or their alloys with each other or with other metals) may bedeposited on the chromium layer before the chromium layer is exposed tothe atmosphere, in order to reduce oxidation at the chromium layer.Because the layer of substantially non-oxidizing material may besubstantially thin (such as about 150 Angstroms or thereabouts) ascompared to the conductive layer of chromium (which may be about 2000Angstroms thick), such materials may be implemented without excessivecost increase. Optionally, a conductive ink or the like may be disposedover the fourth surface bus-bars to reduce the oxidation effect (orreduce build-up of any other surface layer that could impede efficientelectrical contact to the surface) at the interface between the bus-barsand the conductive epoxy. The conductive ink may be used instead of theconductive epoxy, or may be disposed as a layer between the chromiumlayer and the conductive epoxy. The oxidation (or any other layer thatmight impede intimate electrical contact by causing interfacialelectrical resistance) at the fourth surface bus-bars thus may beremoved or reduced physically, chemically, mechanically or materially orthe like, in order to enhance the interface between the conductive epoxy(or other suitable material) and the fourth surface bus-bars and thus toenhance the electrical connection to the fourth surface bus-bars.Similar approaches may also or otherwise be implemented to enhance theinterface between the conductive epoxy and the perimeter band.

Thus, a mechanically and environmentally secure connection can be madeto the rear substrate and electrodes thereon utilizing aspects of thepresent invention. The set up and/or curing of the conductive epoxy (orother suitable or equivalent material) at least temporarily secures themetal clip to the substrate, thereby providing a convenient solder point(such as by automatic soldering) and/or stable attachment point (such asa spade connector) for mechanical attachment of the circuitry leads tothe clips. Once the wire connection is made, the UV curable acrylic (orother suitable or equivalent resinous encapsulation/potting material)and the conductive epoxy (or other suitable or equivalent material)provide a substantially strong bond or connection of the clips andconnectors to the rear surface of the rear substrate while at the sametime providing environmental protection for the wire connection, for themetal clip, and for the fourth surface bus bar to which the metal clipcontacts (should so be desired/required), so that the overall assemblycan pass extended environmental testing such as at least 1000 hours in ahumidity chamber or more than 240 hours in a salt spray chamber and sothat the part can be used on a vehicle.

Optionally, the reflective element may include fourth surface bus-barsand a fourth surface coating for the heater pad application. In such anapplication, the coating may be separated or demarcated to provide thefourth surface bus-bars (that connect to the wraparound portions andthus to the second and third surface conductive layers or coatings) andthe heater pad coating (that may substantially cover the rear surface ofthe rear substrate). The coating may be separated or demarcated via amask over selected portions of the substrate surface during depositionof the coating, or may be separated or demarcated via sand blasting orlaser ablating after the coating is applied substantially over thesubstrate surface and over or in connection with the wraparoundportions.

The perimeter coating 19 at the rear or second surface 12 b of the frontsubstrate thus may be substantially opaque or non-transparent so as toconceal the seal and encapsulant and the like at the outer perimeterregions and/or overhang regions of the cell. Optionally, the perimetercoating or band may comprise a metallic reflective coating, and thematerial and thickness of the metallic coating and/or any transparentelectrical conductor (such as ITO) that it may overcoat, may be selectedto provide the desired appearance and/or color at the perimeter of thereflective element, such as described in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTICMIRROR CELL, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US04/43500, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference. Optionally, the perimeter band may comprise other materials,such as substantially non-metallic light absorbing materials, such as alight absorbing conductive ink or the like, and thus may provide anopaque and/or non-reflective or light absorbing band around theperimeter of the reflective element.

Because the overhang regions may have a conductive solder or conductiveepoxy disposed therealong (as described above), the conductivesolder/epoxy may provide a sufficiently thick conductive track orraceway along the respective perimeter region. Therefore, the perimeterband at the rear surface of the front substrate need not be asubstantially conductive metallic material. Thus, the perimeter band maycomprise a thin coating or layer of conductive ink (which may beestablished thereon at a thickness of about 25 microns or thereabouts),which, in conjunction with the conductive epoxy or solder orencapsulant, provides sufficient conductivity along the raceway of theperimeter region of the rear surface of the front substrate. Forexample, the conductive ink may comprise a silver flake-based epoxy orthe like, and may comprise a conductive ink of the types commerciallyavailable from Creative Materials Inc. of Tyngsboro, Mass., such as a101-42 electrically conductive ink or the like, which has a silverfiller and a sheet resistivity of about 0.015 ohms per square, and issuitable for application by stamping, screen printing, dipping andsyringe dispensing on various surfaces, such as Kapton, Mylar, glass,ITO sputtered surfaces and the like. Optionally, the conductive ink maycomprise a “smart ink” of the types available from Flint Ink Corp. ofAnn Arbor, Mich., and/or Precisia, LLC of MI, or other conductive inksof the types available from Conductive Compounds of Londonderry, N.H.,or other conductive inks of the types available from Epoxies, etc. ofCranston, R.I. Such smart or conductive inks may also or otherwise beused in a variety of applications, such as for antennae and the like.Preferably, the material may be selected so that the material can befired or fused to the transparent conductive coating or layer (such asITO) on the rear surface of the front substrate to adhere to thetransparent conductive layer or rear surface of the front substrate andprovide an environmentally durable or tough perimeter band around theperimeter region of the reflective element.

The conductive ink (or other conductive composition) perimeter band maybe pad printed on the ITO layer of the second surface and at a thicknessof less than or equal to about 25 microns, such as about 10 microns orthereabouts. Thus, if a small variation in the thickness of the inkband/layer occurs (such as about a 10 percent variation in thickness orthereabouts), the variation in actual physical thickness of the inkband/layer will be small, such as about one to two microns orthereabouts, and thus may have a negligible effect on the thickness anduniformity of the epoxy seal (which may be about 75 to 135 micronsthick, such as about 85 microns thick). However, if desirable, thethickness of the printed or otherwise applied conductive perimeter bandmay have a thickness of less than 10 microns or greater than 25 microns,depending on the particular composition used, the precision anduniformity of application (such as via pad printing, ink jet printing,offset printing or the like), and/or the interpane thickness between thefront and rear substrates of the reflective element. The thin ink bandthus facilitates a substantially uniform seal thickness for thereflective element or cell, since such small band thickness variationswill not dictate the uniformity or variation of the epoxy seal. Althoughshown and described as being established at or on a substrate of anexterior rearview mirror for a vehicle, such a conductive ink band mayalso be suitable for use on a rear surface of a front substrate of aninterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, such as for use as anopacifying layer or band, such as described in PCT application No.PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forELECTRO-OPTIC REFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY; and U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/533,762, filed May 4, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,184,190,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Optionally, the conductive ink may comprise a dark colored ink, such asa black ink or the like, or may comprise a colored ink if desired, inorder to provide a desired color scheme to the perimeter band around theperimeter of the reflective element. Optionally, the perimeter ink bandmay be printed or screened or otherwise applied to the perimeter regionof the substrate, and may include text or characters or icons or otherindicia around the perimeter region, such as an automaker logo or a textmessage or the like. For example, the conductive ink may be pad printedat the perimeter region of the substrate, which may include a mask ormasks around the perimeter region, such that the desired logo or text orindicia is formed in the perimeter ink band and viewable by the driveror occupant of the vehicle. Optionally, the perimeter ink band maycomprise a double layer of inks, such as a thin layer of coloredconductive ink disposed onto the perimeter region of the ITO coatedsurface, and a more conductive coating printed or otherwise disposedover the colored conductive ink.

Optionally, if a spectrally selective/anti-glare colored band or anon-spectrally selective, substantially silvery reflective band isdesired around the perimeter of the reflective element, the materialand/or thickness of the band and of the transparent coating may beselected to provide the desired appearance. For example, if a silveryappearance (such as a substantiallynon-tinted/non-colored/non-spectrally selective band) is desired for theperimeter band, an aluminum coating (or aluminum alloy) or band may bedisposed around the perimeter region to provide the desired silveryappearance. The aluminum band provides a silvery, substantiallynon-spectrally biased/selective appearance throughout a range ofthicknesses of the transparent conductive coating (such as ITO) that itmay overcoat on the rear surface of the front substrate (and between thefront substrate and the aluminum band), such as when the aluminum bandor layer is applied to an ITO layer having an ITO thickness of betweenabout 750 Angstroms to about 1500 Angstroms.

The aluminum material may comprise various grades of aluminum, such asmarine grade aluminum or the like, and preferably that has enhancedmagnesium content (such as an aluminum material with magnesium (or othermaterials, such as titanium or the like) alloyed or incorporated oradded to the aluminum material or composition). The aluminum compositionor alloy may comprise various grades of aluminum, such as, for example,1100 or 6061 aluminum alloys. Optionally, the aluminum material orcomposition may comprise SEAlium® (available from Pechiney Marine andhaving a weight content of about 0.25% Si; about 0.25% Fe; about 0.2%Cu; about 0.7-1% Mn; about 4-5.2% Mg; about 0.25% Cr; about 0.4% Zn;about 0.15% Ti; about 0.2% Zr and the remainder content being Al) orother such high magnesium content aluminum alloy, such as alloys similarto those classified in the 5000 index or grade or series, such as, forexample, 5083 alloy, 5086 alloy, 5383 alloy, and/or 5784 alloy or thelike. The aluminum band may be deposited via a sputter coating orsputter deposition process, such as in a vacuum sputter depositionchamber. Preferably, the aluminum material is deposited or sputteredonto the unmasked perimeter region of the rear surface of the frontsubstrate in a manner that reestablishes in the coating/band on thesubstrate the elemental composition of the sputtered material (such thatthe material composition of the sputtered coating is substantiallysimilar to the material composition of the sputter target). The aluminumband may be sputtered to a desired thickness and provide a band ofaluminum at the perimeter region and at which the seal is applied whenthe cell is assembled.

Optionally, the aluminum band (or other reflective coating or layer,such as aluminum alloy, silver, silver alloy, rhodium or the like) maybe sputtered to a desired thickness and a band/layer of metal that hasenhanced environmental resistance/resilience than, for example, aluminumor its alloys or silver or its alloys (such as, for example, an enhancedenvironmentally resistant/resilient material such as chromium, stainlesssteel or other steels, nickel alloy such as inconel, titanium,molybdenum or the like) may be deposited/sputtered over the aluminumband to provide a protective conductive layer over the aluminum band.For example, the aluminum band may be sputter coated (such as viaenergizing an aluminum target in a sputter deposition chamber or thelike) onto the unmasked perimeter region of the substrate surface to adesired thickness (such as about 300 Angstroms or thereabouts). Thetarget may be flipped or rotated or changed (or the substrate may bemoved to another sputter station) so that a target of the enhancedenvironmentally resistant/resilient material or composition (such aschromium or the like, such as listed above) may be energized, and sothat the metal so sputtered onto the unmasked aluminum band at thesubstrate surface overcoats and thus environmentally protects theunderlaying aluminum layer (or other highly reflective metallicmaterial, such as aluminum alloys or silver or its alloys or rhodium orthe like).

For example, chromium may be used as the enhanced environmentallyresistant or resilient material, and a chromium target may be energizedso that chromium is sputtered onto the unmasked aluminum band at thesubstrate surface. The chromium may be deposited onto the aluminum bandto a desired thickness, such as about 500 Angstroms to about 1000Angstroms or thereabouts or more. The chromium and aluminum perimeterband thus provides an electrical/conductive raceway along the perimeterregion, wherein the aluminum band (being closer to the glass surface andeither on the glass surface or overcoating the likes of an ITO layer onthe glass surface so as to be what is seen when a driver or occupant ofthe vehicle views the reflective element when it is mounted in or on thevehicle) provides the desired appearance and enhances the electricalconductivity and the chromium overcoating layer provides environmentalprotection to the aluminum band and further enhances electricalconductivity.

Optionally, other materials or compositions may be used for theperimeter band to achieve the desired appearance and the desiredconductivity and environmental stability. For example, a silver orsilver alloy or aluminum or aluminum alloy band (or other material whichmay be less reflective but more corrosive resistant than silver oraluminum, such as the materials listed above, as desired) may bedisposed onto the transparent conductive coating and along the unmaskedperimeter region of the substrate, and a chromium layer (or othermaterial such as those listed above) may be disposed thereon.Optionally, the perimeter band may comprise a single layer (such assilver or aluminum or their alloys or the like), and may not have anychromium or other more corrosive resistant metallic overlay disposedthereon. The transparent conductive coating may be applied to the glasssurface first, before the perimeter band, or the perimeter band metallicreflective material may be applied or disposed or established onto theglass perimeter surface, with the transparent conductive coatingdisposed over the perimeter band material, such as described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by McCabe etal. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/orPCT Application No. PCT/US04/43500, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by DonnellyCorp. et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference.

In applications where the transparent conductive coating is disposed onthe second surface of the front substrate and the perimeter band isdisposed around the perimeter region of the substrate and over thetransparent conductive coating, the color or appearance of the perimeterband, as seen from the front of the reflective element and viewingthrough the front substrate, may be affected by the optical thicknessand/or refractive index of the transparent conductive coating. Thus, theselected thickness of the transparent conductive coating may affect theresistance across the substrate surface (and thus may affect theperformance of the electrochromic reflective element or cell), and mayalso affect the appearance of the perimeter band. The appearance andperformance of the reflective element thus may be linked by the selectedthickness of the transparent conductive coating. For example, if aparticular or desired appearance or color of the perimeter band requiresa thinner transparent conductive coating, and hence somewhat lesselectrically conductive layer (such as, for example, about 1000Angstroms to about 1200 Angstroms physical thickness or thereabouts ITOwith a sheet resistance in the about 18 ohms per square to about 20ohms/square or thereabouts range) between the perimeter band and therear or second surface of the front substrate, the transparentconductive coating may be disposed on the substrate surface at theselected thickness and the perimeter band material may be disposedaround the perimeter region and over the transparent conductive coating(such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/021,065, filedDec. 23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US04/43500, filedDec. 23, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference). If the selectedthickness of the initially deposited transparent conductive coating doesnot achieve the desired sheet resistance at the substrate surface, asecond transparent conductive coating may be disposed over the perimeterband and over the first transparent conductive coating to achieve thedesired thickness and sheet resistance of the transparent conductivecoatings on the substrate surface (but because this second transparentconductive layer is now over the metallic perimeter band, it does noteffect the interference color established by the initially depositedtransparent conductor layer that is between the substrate surface andthe metallic perimeter band).

If it is desired to avoid or reduce the linkage affect of thetransparent conductive coating and the appearance and performance of thereflective element, the metallic perimeter band material may be disposedonto the substrate surface (before the transparent conductive coating isdisposed onto the substrate surface) and around the perimeter edgeregion, and the transparent conductive coating may be disposed over theperimeter band and over the rest of the substrate surface at the desiredor appropriate thickness. In such an application, the color of theperimeter band may be silvery or neutral, since it is the metallicperimeter band reflector that is coated directly onto the second surfaceof the front substrate in the EC cell (without the transparent conductorcoating between it and the glass surface so that the transparentconductor coating does not cause any interference color be imparted tothe reflection off the metal perimeter band), and so it will besubstantially the color of the metal material (such as chromium oraluminum or the like) that is used to create the perimeter bandreflector.

Optionally, if it is desired to have a different color or differentappearance of the perimeter band, the perimeter band metallic materialmay be disposed in a vacuum deposition or sputter coating chamber, andan oxide or nitride or the like may be introduced into the chamberduring the sputter coating process. The introduced composition may beselected to provide the desired color or appearance or interferenceeffect to the perimeter band. For example, the perimeter band maycomprise titanium, and nitrogen or oxygen or other gas may be introducedinto the chamber during the sputter coating process to achieve atitanium oxide perimeter band. If desired, a chromium layer may bedisposed over the titanium oxide perimeter band to enhance theconductivity of the perimeter band as described above. The introducedcomposition or material and the metallic perimeter band material may beselected to provide the desired color or appearance or interferenceeffect to the perimeter band, whereby the transparent conductive coatingor layer will have a reduced or minimal affect on the color orappearance of the perimeter band.

The appearance of the perimeter band is thus dictated by the materialthat is contacting the second or rear surface of the front substrate.Once an initial layer is established, other layers of material may becoated over the initial layer at the perimeter band region, whereby theinterference effect of the initial layer will dictate the appearance ofthe perimeter band as viewed from the front of the mirror reflectiveelement and through the front substrate. A potential disadvantage ofhaving the metallic perimeter band over the transparent conductivecoating (where the transparent conductive coating is between theperimeter band and the second surface of the front substrate), is thatthe color that may be created by the interference effect of thetransparent conductive coating and the perimeter band material canaffect the sheet resistance of the transparent conductive coating. Thiscan be overcome by disposing the perimeter band metallic material ontothe substrate surface and before the conductive coating is depositedonto the substrate. However, if a different color or interference affectis desired, other means for adjusting or changing or affecting theinterference effect may be implemented, such as introducing oxygen ornitrogen or other gasses into the sputter chamber during the initialdeposition of the metallic material of the perimeter band, or depositingor disposing a layer or layers of other materials at the glass surface,in order to achieve the desired interference effect, without affectingthe sheet resistance of the transparent conductive coating.

Optionally, one or more layers of different materials may be disposed orstacked at the perimeter band region and between the metallic bandmaterial and the rear surface of the front substrate to provide thedesired color or appearance of the perimeter band. For example,different materials having different refractive indices may be disposedat the perimeter region to provide the desired effect on the appearanceof the perimeter band. Suitable high refractive index materials mayinclude titanium dioxide or the like, while low refractive indexmaterials may include silicon oxide or the like. The materials andthicknesses of the coatings or layers thus may be selected and combinedor stacked to provide the desired color and appearance of the perimeterband.

Other materials thus may be selected to create the perimeter band inorder to achieve the desired color or appearance of the perimeter band.For example, if a duller or less reflective appearance is desired,chromium may be deposited or sputtered onto the perimeter band region,and nitrogen or oxygen or other gasses or combinations or the like maybe introduced into the sputter chamber during the sputtering process toprovide a perimeter band of chromium oxide or the like, which may havereduced reflectivity of light incident thereon. The nitrogen or oxygenor the like may be bled into the sputter chamber to achieve the desiredappearance or color, and, if desired or appropriate, chromium or thelike may be applied or disposed over the chromium oxide (or the like)band to establish the desired conductivity of the perimeter band.

Desirably, the nitrogen or oxygen or the like may be introduced into thesputter chamber during the initial deposition of the chromium toestablish a chromium oxide layer on the substrate surface (or on thetransparent conductive coating at the substrate surface), and the supplyof nitrogen or oxygen or the like to the sputter chamber may be reducedor stopped, so that a metallic layer of substantially pure (with reducednitrogen or oxygen content) chromium (or other suitable metal materialor alloy or composition) may be deposited over the chromium oxide layer.The chromium oxide layer thus may provide the desired appearance orcolor or interference effect to the perimeter band, while thesubstantially pure layer provides the desired conductivity along theperimeter band, Optionally, the use of an achromatic or neutralreflective metallic material, such as chromium, rhodium, tungsten,nickel, molybdenum, iron, titanium, stainless steel and/or alloysthereof, may be deposited at the perimeter region to provide the desiredappearance and reflectivity.

Optionally, different metallic materials may be deposited at theperimeter band region of the substrate to provide a desired appearanceor color and functionality. For example, a thin layer of rhodium (suchas about 200 Angstroms physical thickness) may be deposited on theperimeter region of the substrate surface to provide a shiny or highlyreflective appearance of the perimeter band as seen form the front ofthe substrate viewing through the substrate thickness. A layer ofchromium (such as about 800 to 1000 Angstroms physical thickness) may bedeposited over the first layer of rhodium to provide the desiredelectrical conductivity of the conductive perimeter band or raceway. Asecond layer of rhodium (such as about 200 Angstroms physical thickness)may then be deposited over the chromium band layer to provide a reducedoxidation effect at the third layer, upon which a conductive epoxy (orother suitable material) may be dispensed, as described above. Themultiple layers thus achieve the desired appearance and functionality,without the higher costs that may be associated with depositing a thicklayer or band of rhodium or the like. Although described as three layersof rhodium and chromium, trilayers or multiple layer stacks of othermaterials and other thicknesses may be implemented for the perimeterband, without affecting the scope of the present invention.

Optionally, the deposition conditions during the deposition of thematerials may be adjusted to alter or adjust the qualities orcharacteristics of the perimeter band. For example, the chromium bandmay be deposited at a high vacuum low in partial pressure of the likesof oxygen, nitrogen or water (such as a vacuum pressure higher thanabout 1×10^4 torr vacuum pressure) to provide enhanced conductivity ofthe chromium band or layer.

In such an application where the perimeter band may have reducedreflectivity of light incident thereon, the reflective element may notrely on the border or perimeter region to provide the required field ofview area of reflectivity, such as required by FMVSS 111 or EuropeanDirective 2003/97/EC. Typically, the reflectivity of the mirrorreflective element is at least about 35 percent reflectivity of lightincident thereon (such as measured in accordance with SAE J964A). If theperimeter region is not being relied on to achieve the required field ofview area, the perimeter band may be disposed to have a reducedreflectivity if desired. If the perimeter band is required to meet theminimum reflectivity requirements, the perimeter band material orcomposition may be selected to provide the required reflectivity oflight incident thereon (such as at least 35% reflectivity of lightincident thereon for U.S. mirrors and/or at least 40 percentreflectivity of light incident thereon for European applications). Also,it is preferable that the reflectivity of the perimeter band be greaterthan at least 50% R so as to satisfy automaker internal specificationsuch as the SDS requirement form Ford Motor Company of Detroit, Mich. Inthis regard, we find that depositing a metallic perimeter band (such asof chromium or of rhodium or of aluminum or an alloy thereof by sputterdeposition in a high vacuum pressure) first onto the rear (second)surface of the front substrate and depositing the transparent coatingover the already deposited metallic perimeter reflector layer is best asthis avoids the transparent conductor layer reducing (such as by lightinterference and/or by light absorption) reflection off the metallicreflector band (as viewed through the thickness of the front substratevia its first surface). With suitable choice of reflective material(such as of rhodium or aluminum or silver, or their alloys), areflectivity off the perimeter reflector band on the rear (second)surface of the front substrate in excess of about 55% R can be achievedband (as viewed through the thickness of the front substrate via itsfirst surface).

The material or materials and/or composition of the perimeter band (andwhether the transparent conductor coating is over or under it) thus maybe selected to provide the desired color or appearance and conductivityand reflectivity at the rear surface of the front substrate. Thereflective element thus may be tuned or balanced, so that theconductivity of the perimeter band is balanced with the second surfacetransparent conductive coating, without affecting the color orappearance of the perimeter band and thus of the reflective element. Thereflective element may also be balanced or tuned by the material andthicknesses of the third surface conductive coating to compensate orameliorate the affects of different thicknesses of the transparentconductive coating (such as ITO or the like) on the appearance of thereflective element.

Optionally, the reflective element assembly may comprise curved or bentsubstrates (such as for exterior rearview mirror assemblies), and maycomprise aspheric substrates to provide an enhanced field of viewrearward. In such applications, the reflective element assembly mayinclude a demarcation line or means (such as a dashed line or dots orthe like) formed in the reflective coating or layers that typicallycomprise the third surface reflector/conductor in the twin substratelaminate electrochromic cell construction. This demarcation line ormeans is typically conveniently established by using a laser to etchaway the coating at an outboard region of the rear substrate metalliccoating so that the demarcation line (for example, dashes or dots) runsgenerally vertically from the top to the bottom of the electrochromicmirror (and is disposed at or near an outboard portion thereof) when theEC mirror is ultimately mounted on the exterior of its intended vehicle.The demarcation line or means demarcates the outer, more sharply curved,lower radius of curvature aspheric region from the inboard (typicallyconvex curvature) main viewing portion of the electrochromic rearviewmirror. Because the perimeter band is at the second surface of thereflective element assembly, it may hide or conceal the upper and lowerends or end portions of the demarcation line established in thereflective coating or coatings on the third surface of the reflectiveelement assembly. Optionally, the perimeter coating or band of thesecond surface of the front substrate may be etched with similar dots ordashes (or the like) so that this etching matches the demarcation lineestablished on the third surface metallic reflector. This demarcationportion of the perimeter coating on the second surface is established atan upper portion of the band and at a lower portion of the band thatwill coincide with, and generally run coincident with, the demarcationline established on the third surface metallic reflector when the frontand rear substrates are juxtaposed to form the electrochromic reflectiveelement assembly. Accordingly, when the front substrate, with theperimeter band so demarcated, and the rear substrate, with thedemarcation line established across its third surface reflectivesurface, are juxtaposed and mated together, and after the reflectiveelement is mounted on the vehicle, the driver of the vehicle views thedemarcation line to continue generally uninterrupted from the centralviewing region out (via the demarcated lines/portions of the perimeterband) to the top edge and bottom edge of the electrochromic mirrorelement as it is mounted on the vehicle.

Therefore, the perimeter band may include a portion of the demarcationline formed thereon, such as described in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTICMIRROR CELL, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US04/43500, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, which are all hereby incorporated herein byreference. Optionally, the demarcation line or lines or line portionsmay be formed in the perimeter band and/or in the third surfacereflective coating after the substrates are mated together. Dots ordashes, or similar non-continuous demarcation lines or segments orportions, are preferred so that electrical conductivity is preservedbetween the dots and dashes established, for example, in the metallicperimeter band. For example, the demarcation line may be formed by laserablating the reflective coatings from the second and third surfaces. Anytiny contaminants that may be present after the laser ablation processmay be dispersed via a heating process. The laser ablation may occurbefore or after the reflective element assembly or cell is filled withthe electro-optic medium.

The present invention can be utilized in a variety of interior andexterior mirror assemblies such as described above. Also, the metallicand conductive mirror reflector on the inward facing surface (thirdsurface) of an electrochromic (EC) mirror cell of the present inventionmay be a transflective “display on demand” layer or stack of coatingsthat is both reflecting of and transmitting to incident light, such asis disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,663, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference. Also, and as disclosed in the '663 patentincorporated above, a turn signal indicator such as an LED indicator maybe mounted behind an interior or an exterior mirror reflector of thepresent invention that utilizes a transflective mirror reflector, sothat the presence of the turn signal indicator behind the mirror cellelement is largely unseen until the turn signal is powered to illuminateand indicate a turn event. In this regard, when a transflective “displayon demand” exterior electrochromic mirror (such as is disclosed in the'663 patent incorporated above) is used as a driver-side exteriorrearview mirror on a vehicle, it can be advantageous to utilize anon-electrochromic, non-electrically-dimming transflective mirror on thecorresponding passenger-side with a through-the-reflector turn signalindicia also. In this regard, use of an elemental semiconductor mirror,such as a silicon metal mirror, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,535,056; 5,751,489; and 6,065,840, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference, can be advantageous because such elementalsemiconductor mirrors (such as can be formed by depositing a thin filmof silicon) can be greater than 50% reflecting in the photopic (SAEJ964a measured), while being also substantially transmitting of light(up to 20% or even more). Such silicon mirrors also have the advantageof being able to be deposited onto a flat glass substrate and to be bentinto a curved (such as a convex or aspheric) curvature, which is alsoadvantageous since many passenger-side mirrors are bent or curved.

Although shown and described as being a reflective element assembly foran exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle, the reflectiveelement assembly may optionally be implemented with an interior rearviewmirror assembly, without affecting the scope of the present invention.Optionally, the reflective element assembly may be received within abezel portion or assembly of a rearview mirror assembly, whereby thebezel portion or assembly may attach to a desired or selected rear capportion or end cap to form or assemble a mirror assembly having thedesired accessory or accessories or mirror content, such as is describedin PCT Application No. PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004 by DonnellyCorp. et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference. In such an application, the mirrormount may attach to the reflective element assembly and the back or capportion may attach to the rear of the bezel assembly (as described inPCT Application No. PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004 by DonnellyCorp. et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference).

Optionally, the mirror assembly, such as an interior rearview mirrorassembly, may include a display element or display system for displayinginformation at the reflective element for viewing by a driver of thevehicle. The display may utilize aspects or characteristics of variousdisplays, such as the types described in such as described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,329,925 and 6,501,387, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference, or such as display on demand types of display, such as of thetypes described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,668,663and 5,724,187, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633,filed Jan. 22, 2002 by Lynam et al. for VEHICULAR LIGHTING SYSTEM, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381; and/or Ser. No. 10/528,269, filed Mar. 17,2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,274,501, and/or in PCT Application No.PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 19, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forELECTROCHROMIC MIRROR ASSEMBLY, which are all hereby incorporated hereinby reference, or other types of displays, such as the types described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/956,749, filed Oct. 1, 2004 bySchofield et al. for MIRROR REFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY INCLUDINGELECTRONIC COMPONENT; Ser. No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004 by Lynamfor MIRROR REFLECTIVE ELEMENT FOR A VEHICLE, now U.S. Pat. No.7,338,177; Ser. No. 10/528,269, filed Mar. 17, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,274,501; Ser. No. 10/533,762, filed May 4, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No.7,184,190; Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005; and/or Ser. No.10/225,851, filed Aug. 22, 2002 by Burgner for VEHICLE INFORMATIONDISPLAY, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,847,487, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 19, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forELECTROCHROMIC MIRROR ASSEMBLY; PCT Application No. PCT/US03/35381,filed Nov. 5, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC REFLECTIVEELEMENT ASSEMBLY; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec.19, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE;and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/642,227, filed Jan. 7,2005 by Karner et al. for MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR MIRROR AND METHOD OFMAKING SAME; and/or Ser. No. 60/607,963, filed Sep. 8, 2004 by Schofieldfor IMAGING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE; Ser. No. 60/732,245, filed Nov. 1, 2005;and/or Ser. No. 60/759,992, filed Jan. 18, 2006, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the display may comprise a laser emitter or laser diode orthe like, which may be positioned within the mirror casing and behindthe reflective element, and may be used to emit radiation onto areflector (such as a microelectromechanical scanner (MEMS)) within themirror casing that reflects the radiation toward and through the mirrorreflective element for viewing by a driver of the vehicle (such as byutilizing aspects described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/225,851, filed Aug. 22, 2002 by Burgner for VEHICLE INFORMATIONDISPLAY, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,847,487; and/or Ser. No. 11/226,628, filedSep. 14, 2005 ; and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No.60/642,227, filed Jan. 7, 2005 by Karner et al. for MOUNTING ASSEMBLYFOR MIRROR AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME; and/or Ser. No. 60/607,963, filedSep. 8, 2004 by Schofield for IMAGING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference).

The light emitting device, such as a laser diode or light emitting diode(LED) or the like (such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005; and U.S. provisional applications, Ser.No. 60/642,227, filed Jan. 7, 2005 by Karner et al. for MOUNTINGASSEMBLY FOR MIRROR AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME; and/or Ser. No.60/607,963, Filed Sep. 8, 2004 by Schofield for IMAGING SYSTEM FORVEHICLE, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference), of thedisplay may be controlled by a controller, which may modulate theintensity or on/off characteristic of the emitted light while the lightemitting device or laser is rastered (or moved rapidly back and forth ingenerally horizontal or vertical scanning lines over a display area), inorder to create the desired display via the points where the lightemitting device is intensified or activated. Because the laser diode maybe rastered at a high rate over substantially the entire display areabut only activated/intensified at appropriate locations to form thedesired display, the narrow point like, super high intensity beam (thatis activated/intensified/modulated as the laser diode is rapidly movedacross the display image dimension at a rate that is faster than theeye/brain can register) is perceived by the human eye/brain as acontinuous (or substantially continuous) super bright image, even thoughonly one light “dot” or beam may actually be present at a time at thedisplay. A person viewing the display thus would see the display as thedesired form or character and substantially constantly and brightlyilluminated by the rastered and modulated laser diode.

Optionally, the light emitting device may be substantially constantlyactivated and directed/rastered toward a display window, such as aliquid crystal display (LCD) or the like, with a window established inthe desired form, so that light emitted by the light emitting device(such as a laser diode, a light emitting diode (LED) or an organic lightemitting diode (OLED) or the like) projects or shines through thedisplay window/element, such that the display character or icon orinformation or video or the like is viewable at the reflective elementby the driver of the vehicle. The display window may comprise asubstantially transparent or translucent shape or character or icon orthe like, with a darkened or substantially opaque area surrounding thewindow, such that light emitted by the light emitting device passesthrough or transmits through the window, but is substantially blocked orattenuated by the surrounding opaque area of the display. The LCDdisplay may be operable to adjust the window and opaque regions toadjust or modulate or change or control the information being displayedby the light passing through the display. For applications where thelight emitting device may be rastered at a high rate over substantiallythe entire display area (such as over the LCD), and with theillumination beam (such as the narrow point like, super high intensitybeam of a laser emitting device) rapidly moving across the display imagedimension at a rate that is faster than the eye/brain can register, theeye/brain perceives a continuous (or substantially continuous) brightimage, even though only one light “dot” or beam may be present at a timethrough the display window. The light emitting device thus may beconstantly or substantially constantly activated/energized, with thedisplay being formed/created by the window through which the lightpasses as the light beam is rastered or scanned over the display device.A person viewing the display thus would see the display as the characterof the display window as substantially constantly and brightlyilluminated by the rastered laser diode or other light emitting device,such as an LED or OLED or the like.

Optionally, a projected information display and/or virtual human machineinterface (HMI) may be created at a surface of an interior mirrorassembly or a windshield electronics module/accessory module utilizing avirtual data entry device system, such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Pub.No. 20020075240, published Jun. 20, 2002, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference. Thus, an optically generated image of a key-entrytablet or an input menu or user-actuation button/input or an icon or aninformational message or the like can be projected, for example, onto asurface of the interior rearview minor or elsewhere within the cabin ofthe vehicle. The projected image may include at least one inputzone/user interface zone that is actuatable by an action performedthereon or thereat by a user. The system includes a sensor operative tosense the action performed on or at the at least one input zone, and togenerate signals in response to the detected action. A control orprocessor in communication with the sensor is operable to process thesignals for performing an operation associated with the at least oneinput zone.

For example, a template of the desired interface (such as a keyboard orinput options or the like) may be projected onto an interface surface(such as the reflective element of the interior mirror assembly). Thetemplate is produced by illuminating an optical element (such as aholographic optical element) with a laser diode (such as a red laserdiode or the like). Because the template functions only as a referencefor the user and is not involved in the detection process, the templatemay optionally be printed at a desired surface, such as at a portion ofthe reflective element or casing of the mirror assembly (or at a casingor element of a windshield electronics module or accessory module or thelike).

An infrared plane of light may be generated at and slightly spaced fromand parallel to the interface surface. The light may be substantiallyinvisible to the use and is positioned just a few millimeters away fromthe interface surface (such as along the first surface of the reflectiveelement and a few millimeters toward the driver or toward the rear ofthe vehicle from the first surface of the reflective element).Accordingly, when a user touches a portion of the projected interface atthe interface surface (for example, the first surface of the reflectiveelement of the interior mirror assembly), light is reflected from theplane in the vicinity of the respective input or key that was “touched”and directed toward the sensor module.

The reflected light from the user interaction with the interface surfaceis received by or imaged onto an imaging array sensor, such as a CMOSimage sensor or the like, in a sensor module. The reflected light maypass through an infrared filter before being imaged onto the CMOSsensor. The sensor control or processor or chip then may conduct areal-time determination of the location of the reflected light, and maybe operable to track multiple reflection events substantiallysimultaneously, and can thus support both multiple inputs/keystrokes andoverlapping cursor control inputs and the like. The micro-controller(which may be positioned in the sensor module) receives the positionalinformation corresponding to the light flashes from the sensor controlor processor, and interprets the events and communicates them through anappropriate interface to the appropriate external device or devices.

The projected interface and sensor system thus may provide a keypad orinput interface at the reflective element for actuation/use by thedriver or occupant of the vehicle. The keypad or input interface may beprojected onto or at the reflective element only when it is desired tobe used, such that the reflective element is substantially unaffected bythe incorporation of the interface and sensor system at the interiorrearview mirror assembly. The sensor may detect the input actionperformed/selected by the user and the control may then control oractivate/deactivate or modulate or adjust the appropriate accessory orsystem or device of the vehicle.

The information or input interface that is projected may provide variousinputs/actions, such as, for example, inputs for a video display of thevehicle (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,962 and/or 5,877,897;and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003 byDonnelly Corp. et al. for ACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/284,543, filed Nov. 22, 2005; and/or Ser.No. 11/239,980, filed Sep. 30, 2005; and/or U.S. provisionalapplications, Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004 by Lynam et al.for MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH VIDEO DISPLAY; Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov.17, 2004 by Camilleri et al. for IMAGING AND DISPLAY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE;Ser. No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30, 2004; and/or Ser. No. 60/618,686,filed Oct. 14, 2004 by Laubinger for VEHICLE IMAGING SYSTEM, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference), a communications system of thevehicle (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,717,524; 6,650,233;6,243,003; 6,278,377; and/or 6,420,975, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US03/30877, filed Oct. 1, 2003, which are hereby incorporated hereinby reference), a navigational system of the vehicle (such as the typesdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,464, and U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003 by Weller et al. for INTERIORREARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM WITH COMPASS, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593; Ser.No. 10/287,178, filed Nov. 4, 2002 by McCarthy et al. for NAVIGATIONSYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,678,614; Ser. No. 10/645,762,filed Aug. 20, 2003 by Taylor et al. for VEHICLE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FORUSE WITH A TELEMATICS SYSTEM, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,167,796; and Ser. No.10/422,378, filed Apr. 24, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,946,978; and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19, 2003 by DonnellyCorporation et al. for ACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference), light sources (such as map readinglights or one or more other lights or illumination sources, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,938,321; 5,813,745; 5,820,245;5,673,994; 5,649,756; 5,178,448; 5,671,996; 4,646,210; 4,733,336;4,807,096; 6,042,253; and/or 5,669,698, and/or U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002 by Lynam et al. for VEHICULARLIGHTING SYSTEM, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference) and/or the like. Optionally, differentinterfaces may be provided for different accessories or devices orfunctions, whereby the appropriate interface for a particular accessoryor device or function may be selected by the user, and the desiredparticular function of that accessory or device may then be selected andactivated or deactivated or controlled by “touching” the appropriatelocation at the surface (such as the first surface of the reflectiveelement) upon which the interface keypad or input is projected.

Optionally, the interface projector may be positioned at an overheadlocation, such as at an eyebrow location of the mirror assembly orelsewhere at the bezel of the mirror assembly, and may project theprojected interface display at the first surface of the reflectiveelement of the mirror assembly. Optionally, the projector may bepositioned within the mirror and behind the reflective element, and thusmay project the interface/display through the reflective element forviewing at the reflective element of the mirror assembly (where themirror reflective element may comprise a transflective reflectiveelement, such as an electro-optic transflective reflective element ofthe types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 5,668,663 and/or5,724,187, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/054,633, filedJan. 22, 2002 by Lynam et al. for VEHICULAR LIGHTING SYSTEM, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,195,381; Ser. No. 10/528,269, filed Mar. 17, 2005, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,274,501; Ser. No. 10/533,762, filed May 4, 2005, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,184,190; Ser. No. 11/284,543, filed Nov. 22, 2005; and/orSer. No. 11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by McCabe et al. forELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US04/43500, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. etal. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 9, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for MIRRORREFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/35381,filed Nov. 5, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC REFLECTIVEELEMENT ASSEMBLY; and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No.60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004 by Lynam et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITHVIDEO DISPLAY; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19,2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference, or a prismatictransflective reflective element such as the types described in PCTApplication No. PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 19, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. etal. for MIRROR REFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY; U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/528,269, filed Mar. 17, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,274,501; Ser.No. 10/993,302, filed Nov. 19, 2004 by Lynam for MIRROR REFLECTIVEELEMENT FOR A VEHICLE, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,338,177; and/or Ser. No.11/021,065, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTICMIRROR CELL, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US04/43500, filed Dec. 23, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, which are all hereby incorporated herein byreference). The sensor may then detect the presence of the user's finger(or other object or pointer) at the first surface of the reflectiveelement and at the projected interface.

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include one or more accessories,such as one or more accessories incorporated onto a printed circuitboard or positioned elsewhere at or within the mirror casing or at orwithin an accessory module or windshield electronics module associatedwith the interior rearview mirror assembly. For example, the accessoryor accessories may include one or more electrical or electronic devicesor accessories, such as antennas, including global positioning system(GPS) or cellular phone antennas, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,971,552, a communication module, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,798,688, a blind spot or object detection system, such as imaging ordetection or indicating systems of the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/239,980, filed Sep. 30, 2005; and/or Ser, No. 10/427,051, filed Apr.30, 2003 by Pawlicki et al. for OBJECT DETECTION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,038,577, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No.60/696,953, filed Jul. 6, 2005; Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004by Camilleri et al. for IMAGING AND DISPLAY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE; Ser. No.60/614,644, filed Sep. 30, 2004; Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14,2004 by Laubinger for VEHICLE IMAGING SYSTEM; Ser. No. 60/638,687, filedDec. 23, 2004 by Higgins-Luthman for OBJECT DETECTION SYSTEM FORVEHICLE, transmitters and/or receivers, such as a garage door opener orthe like, a digital network, such as described in U.S. Pat. No.5,798,575, a high/low headlamp controller, such as disclosed in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,796,094 and/or 5,715,093; U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/105,757, filed Apr. 14, 2005; and/or U.S. provisional applications,Ser. No. 60/607,963, filed Sep. 8, 2004 by Schofield for IMAGING SYSTEMFOR VEHICLE; and Ser. No. 60/562,480, filed Apr. 15, 2004 by Schofieldfor IMAGING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, a memory mirror system, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,176, a hands-free phone attachment, avideo device for internal cabin surveillance and/or video telephonefunction, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962 and/or5,877,897; and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611, filed Dec. 19,2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ACCESSORY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, and/orU.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/630,061, filed Nov. 22, 2004by Lynam et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH VIDEO DISPLAY, a remote keylessentry receiver or system or circuitry and/or a universal garage dooropening system or circuitry (such as the types disclosed in U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,396,408; 6,362,771; 5,798,688 and 5,479,155, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/770,736, filed Feb. 3, 2004 by Baumgardner etal. for GARAGE DOOR OPENING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, now U.S. Pat. No.7,023,322, microphones, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,717,524;6,650,233; 6,243,003; 6,278,377; and/or 6,420,975, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US03/30877, filed Oct. 1, 2003, speakers, a compassor compass system, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,924,212;4,862,594; 4,937,945; 5,131,154; 5,255,442; and/or 5,632,092, and/orU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003 byWeller et al. for INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM WITH COMPASS, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,004,593; and/or Ser. No. 11/305,637, filed Dec. 16, 2005, nowU.S. Pat. No. 7,329,013; and/or U.S. provisional application Ser. No.60/636,931, filed Dec. 17, 2004 by Blank et al, for INTERIOR REARVIEWMIRROR SYSTEM WITH COMPASS, a tire pressure monitoring system, such asthe types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,294,989; 6,445,287; and/or6,472,979, and U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/611,796, filedSep. 21, 2004 by O'Brien for TIRE PRESSURE ALERT SYSTEM, a seatoccupancy detector, a vehicle occupancy detector, such as the typedescribed in PCT Application No. PCT/US05/42504, filed Nov. 22, 2005,and provisional application Ser. No. 60/630,364, filed Nov. 22, 2004 byWåhlström for OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, a trip computer, atelematics system, such as an ONSTAR® system or the like, and/or anyother desired accessory or system or the like (with all of theabove-referenced patents and patent applications and PCT applicationsand provisional applications being commonly assigned to DonnellyCorporation, and with the disclosures of all of the above referencedpatents and patent applications and PCT applications and provisionalapplications being hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties).

The accessory or accessories may be positioned at or within the mirrorcasing and may be included on or integrated in the printed circuit boardpositioned within the mirror casing, such as along a rear surface of thereflective element or elsewhere within a cavity defined by the casing,without affecting the scope of the present invention. The user interfaceand sensor system described above may be actuatable to control and/oradjust the accessories of the mirror assembly/system and/or an overheadconsole and/or an accessory module/windshield electronics module and/orthe vehicle. The connection or link between the controls and the systemsor accessories may be provided via vehicle electronic or communicationsystems and the like, and may be connected via various protocols ornodes, such as Bluetooth™, SCP, UBP, J1850, CAN J2284, Fire Wire 1394,MOST, LIN, FlexRay™, Byte Flight and/or the like, or other vehicle-basedor in-vehicle communication links or systems (such as WIFI and/or IRDA)and/or the like, depending on the particular application of themirror/accessory system and the vehicle. Optionally, the connections orlinks may be provided via wireless connectivity or links, such as via awireless communication network or system, such as described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003 by Weller etal. for INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM WITH COMPASS, now U.S. Pat. No.7,004,593, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, withoutaffecting the scope of the present invention. Also, such accessories maybe powered by direct connection to the vehicle wiring harness or byinductive coupling power into such accessories using electrical powerinductive coupling methods known in the art, and such as are disclosedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,436,299 and 6,451,202 (the entire disclosures ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference herein).

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include a photo-sensor or lightsensor or glare sensor at the mirror assembly for sensing the ambientlight levels at or around the mirror and/or for sensing the light levelor glare level from light (such as from headlights of a rearwardlyapproaching vehicle) rearward of the subject vehicle. Optionally, forexample, a reflective element of the present invention (such as for aninterior or exterior rearview mirror assembly) may include a photosensor or light sensor (such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,831,268; 6,742,904; 6,737,629; 5,406,414; 5,253,109; 4,799,768; and4,793,690, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun.6, 2003 by Weller et al. for INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM WITHCOMPASS, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,593, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference) at the rear or fourth surface of the reflectiveelement, such that the photo sensor detects light passing through thereflective element. Examples of such configurations are described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 4,793,690; 5,550,677 and 5,193,029, and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/456,599, filed Jun. 6, 2003 by Weller et al. forINTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM WITH COMPASS, now U.S. Pat. No.7,004,593, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference. Thereflective element thus may have a window or transmissive port orportion at the photo sensor or, and preferably, may comprise atransflective display on demand (DOD) type reflective element or cell,such as, for example, the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,668,663;5,724,187; and 6,690,268, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/528,269, filed Mar. 17, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,274,501; Ser. No.10/533,762, filed May 4, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,184,190; Ser. No.10/054,633, filed Jan. 22, 2002 by Lynam et al. for VEHICULAR LIGHTINGSYSTEM, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,381, and/or in PCT Application No.PCT/US03/29776, filed Sep. 19, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forELECTROCHROMIC MIRROR ASSEMBLY, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US03/35381, filed Nov. 5, 2003 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forELECTRO-OPTIC REFLECTIVE ELEMENT ASSEMBLY, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference. The transflective reflective elementmay have a fixed attenuation such that only a relatively small amount oflight passes therethrough, such as about 12 to 25 percent of the lightincident on the reflective element, such that the signal to dark currentratio generated at the sensor may be substantially reduced. Because thephoto sensor may have a relatively small sensing area, the sensor maynot receive or sense a substantial amount of light passing through thereflective element. Therefore, it is envisioned that a lightconcentrator (such as a lens and/or light channel and/or light pipeand/or other light concentrating device) may be positioned at the photosensor to focus or direct the light passing through a larger area of thereflective element onto the smaller sensing area of the photo sensor,such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/021,065, filedDec. 23, 2004 by McCabe et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,255,451; and PCT Application No. PCT/US04/43500, filed Dec.23, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR CELL, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference.

For example, and with reference to FIG. 10, a reflective elementassembly 110 may include a front substrate 112 and a rear substrate 114with an electro-optic or electrochromic medium 116 disposed orsandwiched therebetween and contained or surrounded or encompassed by aseal 122 around the perimeter of the electro-optic medium. The frontsubstrate 112 includes a transparent electrically conductive layer orcoating 118 on its rear or second surface 112 b, while the rearsubstrate 114 includes a metallic electrically conductive and reflectivelayer 120 on its front or third surface 114 a. The reflective elementassembly comprises a transflective display on demand reflective elementassembly, such that the reflective element is substantially reflectiveof light incident thereon, while also being at least partiallytransmissive of light therethrough. A photo sensor 160 is positioned ator behind the rear or fourth surface 114 b of the rear substrate 114 fordetecting light passing through the reflective element assembly, such asfor detecting glare from the headlights of a rearward approachingvehicle. In the illustrated embodiment, the reflective element assemblyincludes a light directing or light focusing or light concentratingdevice 162 at the rear surface 114 b of the rear substrate 114, suchthat the light concentrating device 162 directs or concentrates lightonto the sensing surface 160 a of the photo sensor 160.

The light concentrating device 162 functions to receive light passingthrough a portion or area or region 164 of the reflective element andconcentrate the received light onto the smaller sensing surface 160 a ofthe photo sensor 160. For example, the light concentrating device mayconcentrate light received from a larger region (such as a region havingabout a 5 mm to about a 10 mm or larger diameter) onto the smallersensing area (such as a sensing area having about a 1 mm to about a 3 mmor smaller diameter), and thus may concentrate about 25 times morelight, or more or less, onto the photo sensor. The light concentratingdevice thus provides a greater amount of light to the photo sensor suchthat the photo sensor may function to detect lower levels of light atthe reflective element. The light concentrating device may comprise alens or combination of lenses or other optical elements, a lightchannel, a compound parabolic collector, and/or a light pipe or otherlight concentrator, without affecting the scope of the presentinvention, and is configured to provide a field of view rearward of thevehicle that substantially replicates the field of view that is typicalor conventional for glare sensing photo sensors in automatic dimmingrearview mirror assemblies. For instance, a larger diameter lens may bedisposed proximate to the rear surface (fourth surface) of theelectrochromic reflective element or cell and another typically smallerdiameter (and having a shorter focal length) lens may be set behind thefirst or larger lens to concentrate the light received by the largerdiameter lens so that the light is concentrated and incident on thephoto sensitive surface of the photo sensor. Preferably, in order toreduce cost and weight, such lenses and/or other optical elements usedin the light concentrator, are fabricated from plastic, such as from anoptical polymer, such as acrylic or polycarbonate or polystyrene or CR39or COC olefin or the like. Preferably, the optic and/or lightconcentrating element is chosen such that it has reduced or minimalintrusiveness into the interior of the mirror head/housing so as to notcrowd other features or items desired to be located or packaged therein.

For example, a funnel-shaped light concentrator, such as formed of apolymeric optical material, such as acrylic or polycarbonate orpolystyrene or CR39 or COC olefin or the like, may be used thatoptically couples (such as via an optical adhesive) at its widestdimension/side to the rearmost surface of the electrochromic cell orreflective element, and that preferably optically couples at its narrowdimension/neck to the photo sensing surface of the photo sensor disposedat the narrow dimension/neck of the light concentrator. Optionally, theouter surfaces may be reflector coated so as to maximize lightcollection, and particularly off-axis light collection emanating fromlight sources, such as headlamps approaching from the rear of thevehicle. Such reflector coating may be a white diffuse reflectivecoating or a diffuser light reflector, such as a white paint or Argentpaint or the like, or it may be a substantially specularly reflectingcoating or layer, such as a metal thin film or layer, such as analuminum or chromium metal reflecting thin layer or coating. Optionally,a hollowed cylinder or funnel can be used (such as a seashell-shapedfunnel) that collects light over a broad area and that, having highlyreflecting walls (such as can be achieved via vacuum metallization),reflects light backwards and forwards and channels the collected lightto exit at its narrower neck so as to be incident at the photo detectordisposed at the neck of the funnel. Optionally, and desirably, a nearinfrared filter (that attenuates/reduces infrared radiation) may bedisposed along the optical path to the photo sensing surface of thephoto sensor, such as behind the fourth surface of the mirror reflectiveelement and in front of the photo sensing surface of the photo sensor,such as proximate to or immediately in front of the photo sensingsurface of the photo sensor.

Optionally, and with reference to FIG. 11, a photo sensor or lightsensitive detector 170 may be placed behind a rearview mirror reflectiveelement in a vehicle, such as in a manner as described above. Thedetector is used to sense the light produced by headlights of anapproaching vehicle, such as a vehicle approaching the subject vehiclefrom the rear of the subject vehicle. The signal from the detector isthen used to darken the mirror to reduce the glare of the reflectedimage to the driver of the vehicle. However, because the detector islocated behind the darkening mirror reflective element, an insufficientamount of energy falls on the detector to provide this control function.To compensate for this reduction of energy, an optical system 172 can beused to increase the amount of energy that falls on the detector 170.The optical system consists of two lenses 174, 176 and a polishedaluminum housing 178. The first lens 174 acts as collector lens thatgathers light over an extended aperture and focuses it down to thedetector. This has the effect of increasing the solid angle of energycollected and delivered to the detector. The second lens 176 acts as a“field” lens to increase the field-of-view collected by the lensassembly. To further increase the efficiency of the assembly, the insidewalls of the lens housing 178 are preferably polished to reflectadditional light towards the detector and smaller lens. Because themirror reflective element in the vehicle is typically tilted about 22degrees towards the driver, the light “amplification” by the opticalsystem is preferably optimized when the front of lens assembly is titledor angled about 22 degrees with respect to the mirror surface. Thus, theoptical system is directed or pointed substantially directly rearwardtowards the approaching headlights of the oncoming vehicle when themirror reflective element is angled toward the driver of the vehicle.

Optionally, the mirror assembly may include one or more other useractuatable inputs or input devices or human machine interfaces. Forexample, the inputs or user interfaces may include buttons, such as aredescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,387, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference, or that include touch/proximity sensors such as aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,001,486; 6,310,611; 6,320,282; and6,627,918, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/817,874, filed Mar.26, 2001 by Quist et al. for INTERACTIVE AUTOMOTIVE REARVISION SYSTEM,now U.S. Pat. No. 7,224,324, and PCT Application No. PCT/US03/40611,filed Dec. 19, 2003, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference,or that include other types of buttons or switches, such as thosedescribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/029,695, filed Jan. 5,2005 by Lindahl et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,253,723;and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/556,259, filed Mar.25, 2004; Ser. No. 60/553,517, filed Mar. 16, 2004; and Ser. No.60/535,559, filed Jan. 9, 2004; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. forMIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference, or that include fabric-made position detectors, such as aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,504,531; 6,501,465; 6,492,980; 6,452,479;6,437,258; and 6,369,804, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference. The manual inputs or user actuatable inputs or actuators maycontrol or adjust or activate/deactivate one or more accessories orelements or features.

Optionally, the interior mirror assembly may comprise a decorativecasing to provide a desired appearance to the mirror assembly, such asdescribed in PCT Application No. PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004by Donnelly Corp. et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE, which ishereby incorporated herein by reference. For example, the casing may bemade by co-injection of different materials in a mold tool to achievethe desired effect. For example, different colors, textures, finishmaterials and/or the like may be formed from injection into a mold toolor mold cavity of at least two resins (which may be different resintypes and/or different resin colors and/or different resin rheologicalcharacteristics and/or the like) to provide a finished molded articlewith the desired color and/or texture and/or surface finish for themirror casing, such as for its bezel portion and/or its rear or backportion. Similar molding techniques may be used to achieve desiredeffects on the casing or housing of exterior mirrors and/or windshieldelectronics modules and/or accessory modules and/or consoles and/or thelike, without affecting the scope of the present invention.

The mirror assembly may be mounted at or attached to an interior portionof the vehicle (such as to a mounting button or the like at an interiorsurface of the vehicle windshield or the like) via any mountingarrangement or assembly or means, such as a single ball or single pivotor single joint mounting arrangement (such as the types described inU.S. Pat. No. 6,483,438 and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2004/015424,filed May 18, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY FORVEHICLE, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference), or a doubleball or double pivot mirror mounting arrangement (such as the typesdescribed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,646,210 and 6,331,066,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference). Optionally, themirror mounting components may provide a breakaway type connection ormount, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,774,810;6,642,851; 6,483,438; 6,366,2.13; 6,326,900; 6,222,460; 6,172,613;6,087,953; 5,820,097; 5,377,949; 5,330,149; and/or 5,100,095, which areall hereby incorporated herein by reference. Optionally, the mirrorassembly may incorporate a mounting arrangement of the types describedin PCT Application No. PCT/US2003/022196, filed Jul. 17, 2003, publishedJan. 29, 2004 as PCT Publication No. WO 2004/009408 A1; and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2003/021885, filed Jul. 14, 2003, published Jan.29, 2004 as PCT Publication No. WO 2004/009407 A3; and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US04/015424, filed May 18, 2004 by Donnelly Corp. etal. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE; and/or U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/933,842, filed Sep. 3, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,249,860, whichare all hereby incorporated by reference herein. Optionally, themounting arm of the mounting arrangement/assembly may include apassageway therethrough for routing wiring or the like through the armto provide electrical communication between an electronic circuitryelement or printed circuit board or accessory of the mirror assembly andcircuitry or accessories or power source of an accessory module or ofthe vehicle, such as by utilizing principles described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/032,401, filed Dec. 20, 2001, now U.S. Pat.Publication No. US2002/0088916 A1, published Jul. 11, 2002, now U.S.Pat. No. 6,877,709; and/or Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005;and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2004/015424, filed May 18, 2004 byDonnelly Corp. et al. for MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE; and/or U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/642,227, filed Jan. 7, 2005 byKarner et al. for MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR MIRROR AND METHOD OF MAKINGSAME; Ser. No. 60/638,250, filed Dec. 21, 2004; Ser. No. 60/624,091,filed Nov. 1, 2004, and Ser. No. 60/609,642, filed Sep. 14, 2004, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference, or may utilizeelectrical connection principles of the type described in InternationalPublication No. WO 2003/095269 A3, published Nov. 20, 2003 for REARVIEWMIRROR ASSEMBLIES, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw.

1. A mirror reflective element system for a variable reflectancevehicular mirror, said mirror reflective element system comprising: afront substrate having a first surface and a second surface, said secondsurface having a transparent second surface electrically conductivecoating disposed thereon; a rear substrate having a third surface and afourth surface, said third surface having a third surface electricallyconductive coating disposed thereon; a heating element adhesivelyattached at said fourth surface of said rear substrate, said heatingelement comprising an attaching surface for attaching to said fourthsurface, said heating element having an electrically conductive heatingelement established thereat, said electrically conductive heatingelement generating heat when powered; said heating element including afirst electrically conductive trace; said heating element including asecond electrically conductive trace; said electrically conductiveheating element and said first and said second electrically conductivetraces being electrically isolated from one another; said firstelectrically conductive trace providing, at least in part, anelectrically conductive connection to said transparent second surfaceelectrically conductive coating disposed on said second surface of saidfront substrate; and said second electrically conductive traceproviding, at least in part, an electrically conductive connection tosaid third surface electrically conductive coating disposed on saidthird surface of said rear substrate.
 2. The mirror reflective elementsystem of claim 1, wherein said heating element comprises a flexibleheater pad comprising a flexible polymeric substrate.
 3. The mirrorreflective element system of claim 2, wherein said flexible polymericsubstrate comprises a flexible polyester substrate.
 4. The mirrorreflective element system of claim 2, wherein said electricallyconductive heating element of said heating element is established atsaid heating element by at least one of a screening process and aprinting process.
 5. The mirror reflective element system of claim 2,wherein said electrically conductive heating element of said heatingelement comprises an electrically conductive strip comprising at leastone of (a) a silver frit, (b) a metal-containing conductive material,(c) a silver-containing conductive material, (d) a graphite-containingconductive material, (e) a conductive epoxy, (f) a conductive paste, (g)a conductive layer and (h) a conductive ink.
 6. The mirror reflectiveelement system of claim 2, wherein said third surface electricallyconductive coating disposed on said third surface of said rear substratecomprises a metallic thin film layer, said metallic thin film layerbeing both electrically conductive and mirror-reflective.
 7. The mirrorreflective element system of claim 2, wherein said heating element isadhesively attached at said fourth surface of said rear substrate by atleast one of (a) a pressure sensitive adhesive, (b) an adhesive layer,(c) a tape and (d) a double sided tape.
 8. The mirror reflective elementsystem of claim 2, wherein each of said electrically conductive heatingelement, said first electrically conductive trace and said secondelectrically conductive trace terminate at an electrical connector. 9.The mirror reflective element system of claim 2, wherein each of saidelectrically conductive heating element, said first electricallyconductive trace and said second electrically conductive trace terminateat an electrical connector, said termination being at a flexible ribbonportion of said heater element that generally extends from a portion ofsaid heater element that attaches to said fourth surface of said secondsubstrate.
 10. The mirror reflective element system of claim 2, whereinsaid second surface of said front substrate is spaced apart from saidthird surface of said rear substrate and with an electrochromic mediumdisposed therebetween, and wherein said third surface electricallyconductive coating comprises a metallic thin film layer, said metallicthin film layer being both electrically conductive and minor-reflective,and wherein a minor-reflective perimeter band comprising at least onemetallic thin film layer is disposed at said second surface of saidfront substrate, said perimeter band generally circumscribing aperimeter portion of said second surface of said front substrate. 11.The minor reflective element system of claim 10, wherein a portion ofsaid transparent second surface electrically conductive coating isdisposed between said second surface and said at least one metallic thinfilm layer of said perimeter band.
 12. A mirror reflective elementsystem for a variable reflectance vehicular mirror, said mirrorreflective element system comprising: a front substrate having a firstsurface and a second surface, said second surface having a transparentsecond surface electrically conductive coating disposed thereon; a rearsubstrate having a third surface and a fourth surface, said thirdsurface having a third surface electrically conductive coating disposedthereon; a heating element attached at said fourth surface of said rearsubstrate, said heating element comprising an attaching surface forattaching to said fourth surface, said heating element having anelectrically conductive heating element established thereat, saidelectrically conductive heating element generating heat when powered;said heating element including a first electrically conductive trace;said heating element including a second electrically conductive trace;said electrically conductive heating element and said first and saidsecond electrically conductive traces being electrically isolated fromone another; said first electrically conductive trace providing, atleast in part, an electrically conductive connection to said transparentsecond surface electrically conductive coating disposed on said secondsurface of said front substrate; said second electrically conductivetrace providing, at least in part, an electrically conductive connectionto said third surface electrically conductive coating disposed on saidthird surface of said rear substrate; wherein said heating elementcomprises a flexible heater pad comprising a flexible polymericsubstrate; wherein each of said electrically conductive heating element,said first electrically conductive trace and said second electricallyconductive trace terminate at an electrical connector, said terminationbeing at a flexible ribbon portion of said heater element that generallyextends from a portion of said heater element that attaches to saidfourth surface of said second substrate; and wherein said second surfaceof said front substrate is spaced apart from said third surface of saidrear substrate and with an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween,and wherein said third surface electrically conductive coating comprisesa metallic thin film layer, said metallic thin film layer being bothelectrically conductive and mirror-reflective, and wherein amirror-reflective perimeter band comprising at least one metallic thinfilm layer is disposed at said second surface of said front substrate,said perimeter band generally circumscribing a perimeter portion of saidsecond surface of said front substrate.
 13. The mirror reflectiveelement system of claim 12, wherein said heating element is adhesivelyattached at said fourth surface of said rear substrate by at least oneof (a) a pressure sensitive adhesive, (b) an adhesive layer, (c) a tapeand (d) a double sided tape.
 14. The mirror reflective element system ofclaim 13, wherein a portion of said transparent second surfaceelectrically conductive coating is disposed between said second surfaceand said at least one metallic thin film layer of said perimeter band.15. The mirror reflective element system of claim 14, wherein saidtransparent second surface electrically conductive coating comprisesindium tin oxide.
 16. The mirror reflective element system of claim 15,wherein said electrically conductive heating element of said heatingelement comprises an electrically conductive strip comprising at leastone of (a) a silver fit, (b) a metal-containing conductive material, (c)a silver-containing conductive material, (d) a graphite-containingconductive material, (e) a conductive epoxy, (f) a conductive paste, (g)a conductive layer and (h) a conductive ink.
 17. The mirror reflectiveelement system of claim 12, wherein said flexible polymeric substratecomprises a flexible polyester substrate.